If your DC was born with talipes...

[Blobsealy]

What age did they have their first appointment with a consultant?

Feeling a bit let down as we've waited longer than expected for our appointment, had to chase it up twice, now it's been delayed by another week.

Dc will be 3 months old by the time he goes to his first appointment, we were told it would be done at 3 weeks.

Posted in chat for (hopefully) more traffic

[Blobsealy]

Anyone?

[AnyFucker]

Is this for a fixed talipes diagnosed pre natally ?

[PMcGintysGoat]

That's hips isn't it?

I'm pretty sure it was at about 3-4 months, there were xrays one day and a follow up appointment a couple of weeks later where we were told that no further action was needed as it was mild and would sort itself out.

[FruitBadger]

3 weeks, but DS is 3 years old now. Most children used to be under 6 weeks, but significant delays due to Covid are being talked about on the Facebook support groups I've seen. Not that it makes you feel much better, but the Ponsetti method consistently shows good outcomes even when children are 5+ years old.

[PMcGintysGoat]

Sorry no, I now realise it's feet and my answer referred to hip displacia. DC had mild talipes but wasn't referred, just instructions by midwife to massage them regularly.

[FruitBadger]

@PMcGintysGoat

That's hips isn't it?

I'm pretty sure it was at about 3-4 months, there were xrays one day and a follow up appointment a couple of weeks later where we were told that no further action was needed as it was mild and would sort itself out.

Feet also sometimes known as Clubfoot

[AnyFucker]

Talipes is a foot/feet condition.

There is positional (baby's feet get a little squashed in pregnancy, will correct when stretched, all these get better with gentle input).
And there is fixed (sometimes seen on prenatal scans, will not correct to normal position, need specialist input)

Which is yours, op ?

[Blobsealy]

Diagnosed at 20 week scan, so that would make it fixed I think? His foot is quite wonky bless him

[Elledouble]

We did the foot stretches and it was never mentioned again. He is five now and it doesn’t seem to have caused any problems.

[YummyBelicious]

My son was diagnosed at 20weeks, and we were all set up for ponsetti method. However when he was born it was positional and we were shown physio to complete at home. He just was massively squashed inside (twin)
Just to add another scenario for you x

[AnyFucker]

Yes, not every talipes seen on scan turns out to be fixed

You certainly need your review though, op. 3 months is a bit on the late side, tbh. If only for them to confirm what treatment he needs. Can you get your HV to chase it up sooner ? What clinic is it ?

[Blobsealy]

Southampton clinic. HV said she didn't know but the midwife would advise, we chased it up at every appointment but at the last one 3 weeks ago we were finally listened to and it was looked into instead of just being told "its probably in process" and we recieved the letter for 1st appointment end of Jan.
Southampton clinic

[AnyFucker]

Ok
At least you have your appt. Hang in there but kick up a holy fuss if it gets cancelled. Good luck.

Incidentally, can you bend his foot up and out to look like the other side ? (assuming it is just the one)

[Blobsealy]

It already been cancelled and rescheduled once, if they tried to do that again I would definitely kick up a fuss.

Nope, his foot won't straighten, its very curved inwards and fixed like that, he has what looks like a bruise on the outside of his foot too :/

[AnyFucker]

Ok. It sounds fixed. Good luck with your appt. The outcomes are very good x

[thegcatsmother]

Ds was seen pretty quickly iirc, and had little boots with weights on to reposition his feet, and I had to do exercises every time I changed his nappy. I think we went home with the boots from hospital, but he was in SCBU and transitional care for a while.

He rolls inwards on his feet, so has cost me a fortune over the years in Start Rites and Geox, but I don't mind paying for good shoes with decent arch support. That'll be the one thing I continue to buy him when he gets a job and moves out.

[LockedDownLife]

My DD had positional talipes which corrected themselves over the first year or so but your son's does sound more severe. Hopefully there's not too much more delay.

[Talipesmum]

My son had one foot with talipes, not positional. Pretty sure his first appt was 2 weeks, and regularly more or less weekly from then on, with the ponseti method. You poor things, v v stressful to have to wait. I think that it’s right that starting later will be fine, it’ll just delay the treatment accordingly.
Have you been onto the steps website? They’re very helpful. Wishing you all the best - my son is 12 now and totally fine, no relapses. Enjoy the plastercast-less cuddles for now, and don’t worry - it felt like it was going on for ages at the time, but soon it became a distant memory.

[turquoisebaby]

My niece had fairly severe fix talipes diagnosed at 20 week scan. She had her tendon cut and foot fixed in casts for a good 6 weeks, that was only a few weeks after birth. Since then she went into boots and bar for a good year 23 hrs a day. Now she is three and it is only for night time and has daily exercises. I'm shocked you haven't been seen for so long.

[ShowOfHands]

My nephew was seen within 4 weeks but he was still in SCBU at that point. His are bilateral, fixed and probably part of a wider genetic condition so his pathway has probably been a bit different. He was still a young baby when he had his first surgery. He's 20 months now and in boots and bars at night and has just started weight bearing. He has a way to go but has come so far.

[MnM156]

My baby got into his first cast at 2 weeks

[Tellmeagain]

My son was diagnosed with congenital talipes at the 20 week scan, we had an appointment before he was born with the consultant who talked us through the Ponseti method and said the hospital would be in touch once he was born.
We were back in hospital 6 days after he was born for his first assessment and casting which happened weekly for 5 weeks and was followed by boots and bar.

I hope you get seen soon. There's a Facebook group for support/discussion called Happy Feet Talipes New that you might like to join if you have any questions.