Trigger Thumb. Anyone else know a child with it?

So we finally got in to see the specialist orthopaedic surgeon yesterday and it turns out that DD1 didn't have an injury, it is trigger thumb which is apparently very common. He suggested that we have it operated on as it is her dominant hand but if we didn't she would have a lump at the base of her thumb and we could keep an eye on it.

So I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this with their child or know someone who has and did they operate? The operation itself is fairly simple with a 2 week recovery but she would have to go under a general anaesthetic which is a bit worrying to me as she's only 3.

One of the kids from DS's Mother's Group was diagnosed with it about 6 months ago (around 2 years of age). So far he hasn't had it operated on but I'm not sure what their reasons for and against it are. They may just be waiting to see how things go, or maybe waiting for him to get a little older...

I've looked after a few kids who have had the procedure. They generally have quick and uneventful recoveries, but I don't have much experience with their longer term outcomes.

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Thanks guys. I've never come across it before and have been doing some reading. I accidentally clicked on a youtube clip of the operation and closed it very quickly. Little bit too graphic for me. I read that they can sometimes spontaneously correct itself but if it hasn't by the time they are 4, they suggest surgery. As it's a genetic disorder she's always had it but we didn't notice until she nearly turned 3. We went back through our photos and saw her thumb was in the bent position just after her first birthday. Don't know how we missed it :(

Don't beat yourself up about it. My friend who's son has it found it purely by chance. It's not often you go stretching all their little fingers out to make sure they straighten fully. My friend just thought that he was holding his thumb that way and noticed it when he was holding something in particular (can't remember what though). If they often wait until 4 then there's no harm done by finding it at 3 instead of at 2 or 1.