someone come and talk to me about my 12 toed child as I am dithering about what to do

[Cathpot]

So, yes this is an actual problem rather than a bid for most obscure title thread. Apologies for length:

DD1 (now aged 3.5) born with 12 toes, has extra little toes webbed onto her own (we're delighting in the label polysyndactyly). When we belatedly noticed this on day 3 (homebirth, dim lighting..) we were referred and ended up on a surgical list. All seemed quite straightforward, not that unusual and would just remove the extra.

Anyway over the course of her being aged one to two we had 6 operations booked and cancelled due to a procession of colds, ear infections etc. 3 ops cancelled after we had driven to the hospital in next county and the last one after they had numbed her hand ready to put a line in. On the final attempt I was heavily pregnant, very emotional and had had enough. Took her name off the list.

We are now 18 months down the line and until yesterday we had decided to leave it indefinitely. It doesnt slow her down in any way physically and she is pretty outgoing and I suspect will cope OK when she starts to get flak about it. We decided if she asked to have it done we would do it then.

Then yesterday I went to buy her new shoes. She is now a 9 and a half shoe size and we are at the top of the Clarks younger kid range. Until now it has been fine getting her shoes as the range has always included very forgiving styles with soft leather at the sides. I looked at the size 10 and up range and realised we are going to start having a problem as the shoes are much more solid, hard leather type things.

So, I suppose I am hoping to tap into some undiscovered pool of extradigit mums or at least some one with experience of what is essentially cosmetic surgery for a child. what do we think? Should I get it done so it is out of the way and we dont have to worry (and avoid teasing) or do I leave it for her to decide and get off my backside and start looking for specialist shoes...(neatly sidestepping my inner panic about general anaesthetic and post operative pain etc)

[EachPeachPearMum]

Sorry- I don't have any experience in this area. Would posting in Special Needs be a good idea, as some conditions come with poloydactyl as an extra, and someone may have experience?

[Cathpot]

thanks will try that

[purpleflower]

DS didn't have extra toes but did have webbed toes. We did get it seperated and I did wonder the whole time if I was doing the right thing as it wasn't strictly necessary but now I'm glad I did.

There is a pic on my profile of his webbed toes but none of after, I haven't gotton round to it yet