Registered User
Oh hun, big hugs to you. This is a very normal reaction to go through and we are all here to support you. It is tough and challenging, for both you and your dd, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I cant help you with the questions you have about surgery, as my dd had a pavlik harness, but there are many wonderful ladies here who will be able to answer your questions.
Take care,
Melissa
Hi Everyone
Shortly after my daughter Olivia started walking, I noticed she was tip toeing on her right side. She was 13 months old and both myself and my partner became concerned. We went to the doctors where Olivia was examined and were assured that her legs, feet and her hips were fine and that toe walking was common. Still not 100% certain we went to another doctor who checked Olivia and were told exactly the same thing. No x-rays were done as to their knowledge their didn't appear to be any problems. Still not sure we asked for a referal to a specialist. We had to wait a month or so but eventually got to see a specialist at the Childrens hospital, who at first glance ordered an x-ray.
To our disbelief the x-ray showed that Olivia Had Bilateral hip displaysia and that surgery was needed immediately to correct her right hip, six weeks in a hip spica and then all over again with the left. Then a Dennis Browne brace will have to be worn by Olivia for 12 months 23 hours a day. I can't believe it went undetected for so long. Olivia is 18 months old and her
first surgery is on the 18th Sept, we'd just like anyone that has gone through the same thing to be able to provide any inside info, tips to help our daughter, help us guide her through this difficult time. Thanks lucy
Registered User
Hi mis tree(?) - was your son was diagnosed at birth? You are very lucky that the pavlik harness did the trick. My daughter Scarlett was in a pavlik harness from 3 - 5 months old and it corrected her hip socket, but she is still in a Dennis Brown brace as her ligaments are still not holding her hip in the correct position after 9 months. Scarlett experienced the same thing with her legs after coming out the harness/brace full time. He legs were like jelly and she would not put any weight on them for a little while. She eventually started pushing off things and they got stronger quite quickly. Good luck with everything.
Hi Lucy - I am so sorry to hear about your story. It is so upsetting that you had to wait so long to get the right answer. Lucky you were persistent or Olivia would still not have been diagnosed. Our daughter's hip dysplasia was picked up at 3 months by our community nurse who noticed her skin fold were not even at the back of her legs. Even though we are still going through treatment I am eternally grateful to her for picking it up when she did. All the other doctors and pediatricians had missed it. You may have read that we have been told to prepare for surgery when Scarlett is about 4yo (she's now almost 13 months) so I am now in a bit of a state of limbo until then. Scarlett has been in the DB brace for almost 8 months now (after spending 2 months in a pavlivk harness), but has only had to wear it at night for the last 5.5 months. I am sure you will get lots of info here from others who have gone through surgery. Good luck for the 18th. You will know from reading everyone's stories here how resilient these kids are.
Take care everyone
Nicole
Registered User
Hi Alexandra's Mum,
My daughter Hailey had surgery on her Left dislocated hip on 1/3/08. She was 8 months old and had 2 dislocated hips but only one needed surgery. I can't speak for anyone else but in hindsight the worst part for us was waiting for hailey to have surgery after they gave us a date. Her surgery was a breeze, she was a real champ. The first few days after surgery are a bit tough but on day three we made a five hour car trip home in a hip spica, plaster from nipple to ankle. By this stage she needed panadol a few times but after about 5 or 6 days she had no panadol again, she was not in pain and definatly not uncomfortable. She learned to drag herself around in the plaster. She is not "better" and won't be for a long time, but we go swimming and she crawls around like a "normal" baby. She is actually just starting to pull herself up on furniture. She is at the same stage as some babies and a bit behind some others. But she is a happy otherwise "normal" kid who has lots of long car trips to Melbourne!!
Please ask me anthing that you think I can help you with.
Kindest regards
Thank you Minimatron and Hailey's mum for your replies. It helps so much to know that others understand.
Hailey's mum, your comments about your DD have helped me to believe that she wont be left behind. My DD is crawling backwards at the moment, although in the short time she had the DB Bar on and did not do any standing she has completely forgotten about it and cannot do it. I do hope she also develops and crawls/stands etc even id she is in the plaster for a while.
I am assuming you are visiting the RHC, have they indicated how long you will be in plaster for and then how long in a brace? It sounds like such a long process for everyone in this position regardless of whether it is a brace alone or plaster and brace.
It is great to know that I can vent and discuss this on here, as my husband does not like to talk about it at all and prefers not to know anything until the doctors tell us about it.
When DD is in plaster (Spica) do they fit in prams and cars eats? today i wanted to buy DD one of those walker toys (that don't move though) with the table in front of them to play etc.. but I am unsure as to whether she will be able to fit in it or even sit in it? Any sugestions with these sort of toys? Look forward to hearing back, thanks so much.
Registered User
Hi There,
We have a surgeon from the RCH called Leo Donnan. He has been fabulous with Hailey. They are in the the hip spica following surgery for six weeks at a time. Hailey only had plaster for 6 weeks. Believe it not, that time will actually go really quickly. The time after the plaster in a brace is completly dependant on how quickly/slowly the hip joint grows while they're in plaster. usually 6 months to 18 months. Due to complications hailey only had the brace (rhino cruiser) on for 6 weeks. She now sleeps in it only. In the 5 weeks she's had it off, she has learnt to go from dragging hrself, to sort of crawling, to crawling properly and now standing on her own- easily and quickly.
We have Beema Q 3 wheeler pram and Hailey fitted in it no problem, as for the car sear you have to buy an extension stap from the RCH ($15) for you existing car seat and the nurses pad the seat to fit your daughter. You not be discharged from hospital until she is in a safe car seat.
As for the walker, definatly not. It's hard to imagine and I don;t know how to post any photo's of Hailey in plaster for you to see but their legs are very wide apart in plaster and so she won't fit in a walker. Even in the rhino cruiser, after the plaster, she probably won't fit.
The hardest thing I found was shopping. No way can they fit in a trolly. So i'd carry hailey in, drag a trolly, go staring to the coke isle and get a box of coke cans for her to sit over, in the trolley- worked beautifully! We fed her in the pram, or sitting on someone's lap, they won't fit in any high chair. But after plaster, get a "Dinky Diner" about $15 on ebay. Attatches to a chair and you tie them in. Awesome.
Hailey spent a fair bit of time propped up on cushions, sitting on our laps, sitting over (tied into) small chairs and dragging herself aroun. Pretty boring for them so it's toys that she can use herself while sitting still that work the best- such as books.
Hope this helps a bit. Please ask anything you like, I remenber how horrible it was before Hailey's surgery-just not knowing what was going to happen and what to expect.
Warm regards,
Hi
Thanks so much for your tips. I loved the coke idea in the trolley, made me smile and bought a tear on at the same time.
Will wait for our appointment to see Othop surgeon and take it from there. Int he meantime have bought her christening forward to the 19th July, so a bit hectic at the moment.
Will be sure to be back soon once i have some more news. Thanks for being so helpful.
Please keep us updated on Hailey also.
Connie
Finally a clothing line for the 'hip' kids...
Hi ladies,
My name is Jennifer and I'm writing from NY. Though a million miles away, I too have experienced hip dysplasia both personally when I was born, and now with my daughter Emma. She unfortunately got my "bad gene" and was diagnosed at 4 months with a left dislocated hip. She is currently therapy free at 10 months and for that I am beyond thankful. I wanted to share the company I started with you when I lost my mind trying to find stretchy accomodating clothing for her when she was in her harness. I just launched the site on July 4th, 2008. This is my proudest achievement since Emma. The feedback I have gotten has been overwhelming from the community. A lot of woman say they wished this was an option when their babies were diagnosed and I wish it was too when Emma was diagnosed! The clothes can be used for harness wearing babies, but I have also gotten feedback the 'Hip'py Onesie works for the spica babies too! I am always looking for improvements and ways I can make the clothing (and soon bath!) situation better. I pulled my hair out trying to find cothes for Emma when she was diagnosed that wouldn't be binding and make the situation worse... I hope it helps a few of you and at the very least please know I am living proof at 36 that hip dysplasia can be overcome with zero side effects- and that comes from a woman who at 1 year old wore a brace for 1 year straight 24/7 and then 8 hours a day for another year! Good luck to all.
Last edited by Phteven; September 14th, 2008 at 08:44 AM. : removing link -pls see forum guidelines.
Registered User
Hey Mis-tree,
I remember when Olivia came out of her harness she had a bit of a clunck for a while. I cant remember what was said about it, but yeah definately ask. They wouldnt have taken him out of the harness if he wasnt ready. Sorry not much help!
Melissa
Registered User
When DD came out of her pavlik harness her hip clicked, I was so worried called the Dr and he said it would be just tendons moving, he said unless you can actually feel a bone popping out all would be ok. The clicking stopped after a little while (can't remember how long) and everything has been fine. She got the all clear a month ago.
Registered User
Ask for an ultrasound. That is generally what they do for babies under 6 months. They can tell immediately from the ultrasound if its out or not. This is what we had done with only a 'suspicion' from our clinic nurse that there was a clunk and the ultrasound showed up a dislocated left hip alright....not saying that is what yours will be, but just that you can request an ultrasound whether they think you should have it or not. It will give you peace of mind.
Good luck.
Registered User
Mis_tree- 70% coverage is pretty good and he wouldnt have come out of it at lesser coverage. Now that Dee has jumped on and reminded me of it- mine and her dd came out of the harness at similar times- it was tendons moving. Get the health nurse to have a good feel. And you said you were going to physio, so they will be able to tell you if there is any suspisious things happening. Yes you can get another u/s, but seeing that its been scaned prior to his harness coming off, a physical check up might be the intial way to go.
melissa
Registered User
Good luck with it and am glad you got some action. Olivia started with something like a 26% coverage and after 6 and a half months of harness she was all good. She came out of it around 8 months old. Hopefully its nothing, let us know how it goes.
Love Melissa
new
Hi my daughter is two at the end of this month. She was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia at 6 months. She went in for a closed reduction at 8 months and put in to a spica. After 4 weeks she went in for cast change and to try put her right hip in a better place it was found that her hips were to unstable and she was referred for an open reduction in melbourne. At eighteen months after a phone call to the hospital it was found that the referrel was not sent. So we first met the doctor in melbourne in july this year she had her open reduction in September. She came out of the operation not real well and was not real good all weekend on Sunday it was found her right hip was not in postion. So she went back in to sugery on monday and this time both hips are in place and she came out real well hardly needing any pain killers. We went home on tuesday. She has now been in her spica for nearly three weeks and doing well has no trouble entertaining her self. She goes back over to melbourne on her birthday of all things for cast change and ther is talk that her right hip may require more surgery cross fingers.
Hi Ell
I was just wondering if your daughter has learnt to crawl while in the hip spica? I was told by the doctors liv would probably learn to crawl but hasn't yet, it's been 2 weeks.What kinds off things does your daughter do to entertain herself. My daughter has bilaterl hip dysplacia also, but wasn't diagnosed till about 2 mths ago. Anyway hope everything goes well for you and your daughter.
Lucy
The first time when she was in spica she did learn to pull herself around quite well. But this time she has no interest in being on her belly. Though she is a lot heavier this time and has the stabilizing bar across her legs which makes it a bit difficult. Sierra entertains herself with drawing and playing with playdoh her tea set watching dvds. We have made a table for her to sit at and she loves she sits there for ages and just plays. really with anything that will fit on the table that she doesn't have to move much to play with.
Registered User
Hi all
Scarlett is only in her brace at night, so she doesn't get much practice, but I've noticed that she can crawl around in her brace now if she's on the floor. She has also mastered rolling over in it and can even stand up in bed sometimes!
At 14 months she is almost walking! She takes a few steps and then falls on her bum or grabs onto something. I am quite excited that she will soon be able to keep up with all the other kids at playgroup!
Nicole
Registered User
Hi Moss-tree, am glad that you got some good news.
Well we went to the MCHN yesterday for dds 18 month check up and shes not happy with the way dd rolls her hips when she walks and wants me to get in to the orthopaed earlier than next May. GGgrrr. So will call and see if I can make an appointment.
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