Feeling mixed up :( DD has hip dysplaysia

[Tras]

we have just discovered that DD has hip dysplaysia and have an appointment on Tues to see the consultant. My friend is a medical professional and specializes in this area. He has warned me to prepare for an operation with her in a plaster cast for a significant period of time 3-6 months!

She is only 7 months and has just started rolling, sitting up etc. We are just getting over the hurdle of reflux and now we are faced with this. Feeling I bit sorry for her and us!

Worrying about whether she will fit in pram, car seat etc. Heard they have difficulty in sitting up and not sure if there is anyone out there who can provide special seats etc. I know that a lot of my questions can be answered on Tues but could do with some support from mums who have been there.

Know that its probably going to be worse for us than for her. Or so Ive been told but know my wee honey is going to be so frustrated. Due back to work at end of April and not sure what to do now. Do I go on sick? Just dont know if I can lie about being sick? I you can see im a bit all over the place at the minute.

[GreenPeas]

Don't worry about being all over the place - it's a lot to get your head around when you get news like this. Both my DD and DS have been treated for DDH but at an earlier age which didn't require an op. However a friend's DD also had it and wasn't picked up until 8 months and she's now a very active six year old!

There's lots of information on the message boards at the steps charity website so you might like to look there. I found it very helpful when DD was first diagnosed.

[Chellesgirl]

Hi Tras... I would like to offer you some comfort here. I was diagnosed with 'clicky hip' Congenital subluxatable hip - where the hip is in place, but dislocates partially when stressed - a form of hip dysplasia, when I was around 2 years old. My mum noticed it when I was a baby, ( I used to walk with my feet turned inwards). My Mums friend also had a boy who was a year younger than me, who had the same thing.

My mum decided not to put me through the operation to correct it. THANK GOD she didnt! There was a chance that it could get better or get worse and she dint want to risk major surgery when I was so small, also have me in casts for weeks on end as well have scars all the way down my legs. I am 22 now, I used to ( before I had dd) dance...all types of dance from ballet, to hip hop and I am so glad my mom didnt make me have that operation because it hardly affects me. I can do what anyone else can do run, jump ( I was the gold medalist in my school for high jump and 100mtr sprint, 400m relay) etc... it hasnt affected my life. Sometimes if I do too much exercise it can 'click' and this can be pretty painful, but managable as it lasts from 2 seconds to 2 minutes. The worst case Ive had was when I gave birth to my daughter, my hip 'locked' and it was pretty dam horrid but with a bit of massage it was fine. DP knows just how to massage my hips when they lock (it sounds like it affects me all the time...honestly twice a month at most).

This is the test they do in babies and children, probably what your dd's doctor did... the Ortolani test by spreading the thighs, or the Barlow test by bringing the knees together, to elicit this finding. Both positions can actually still give me grief from time to time...though being a dancer I had to learn to do the splits both ways and be able to push my knees in the above poistion all the way to the ground - very easy now and only 'rubs' when I havent warmed up enough.

I think the pain that it gives isnt necessarily 'pain'. It just feels like the bone is rubbing agaisnt muscle and can feel like what you would experience if you had a chinese burn (but in your hip).

Now for my mums friends little boy....well he had the operation and the cast : (this one) In the child beyond 6 months, it may not be possible to reduce the hip in a Pavlik harness alone. In these cases, the child may need to be admitted to the hospital and closed reduction performed under general anesthetic. Sometimes a period of leg traction may be needed to facilitate the reduction. Following the reduction, the child is placed in a hip spica cast for about 3 months, followed by the use of a removeable hip abduction brace for another 3 months after that.

He has horrid scars from hip to ankle on both legs, he still has trouble walking at 20yrs old and when my mum last spoke to her friend it seemed like he was actually in a worse off position as me...He had to go back and have another operation when he was around 8 yrs old and he hasnt been able to do any athletics. ???? Apart from that I couldnt tell you any more about his situation.

Take a look at this webiste it offers great info on the different forms of hip dysplasia... I have taken some of the info and given it to you above

I hope this helps a little. Try not to worry

[Kingsroadie]

Tras - I know this is now an old thread but I am going through this too - My daughter also had reflux - badly. She is still on omeprazole etc. She has just come out of her spica cast at 6 1/2 months and is now in the abduction brace. She didn't have to have surgery (Yes a general anaesthetic and plaster put on but no open surgery so no scars as per the above). There are different types of surgery too and I think these days there are not scars all the way down the legs if caught at this early age...!. she had 6 weeks, then a general again and cast change and now a brace. she was very upset at first with the cast but after 2/3 days she was back to normal. Her hip is now almost normal and we are hoping everything continues to go well - it IS hard and a big faff at first but you will get used to it I promise.

TBH you will probably be most of the way through it now and nearly at the same stage as us but just wanted to say hi...I know how it feels!