Hip dysplasia

[Queenie6655]

Hello all

Posting for traffic as I tried some of the development threads and didn't find much

So my health visitor was here earlier

She said my dd has long leg longer than the other

She said there may be a strong chance she will need to wear a brace for months

Feel so upset by this
The paediatrician checked her over for an hour when she was two days old and she said all looked perfectly fine 😲😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

Hi OP

First, don’t panic, HV may be wrong.

Second, if your baby does have to wear a brace or a cast for a while it’s a pain but not the end of the world.

My friend’s baby had this and had to wear a cast. It didn’t overly bother the baby, it delayed her movement a little but she very quickly caught up once the cast was off. And hers was caught rather late, yours may not need a cast if younger.

Good luck

Have you been referred to a hip clinic. That's the first step.

@minipie

Hi OP

First, don’t panic, HV may be wrong.

Second, if your baby does have to wear a brace or a cast for a while it’s a pain but not the end of the world.

My friend’s baby had this and had to wear a cast. It didn’t overly bother the baby, it delayed her movement a little but she very quickly caught up once the cast was off. And hers was caught rather late, yours may not need a cast if younger.

Good luck

Thank you so much

Referral is being made today

DD1 had this and wore a harness for 9 weeks. I cried and was so upset and the consultant said to me at the time it will all be a distant memory and won't upset you soon enough. I was raging and thought he was so condescending. He was right. I found her harness a few years back and really struggled to recall her in it. They are so adaptable and she never minded wearing it at all. Double nappy in the meantime and push to get a referral to the hip clinic.

Gosh ok I see

Others mentioned double nappies too

Is it necessary?

Poor wee pets

Heartbreaking xxxxxxx

I had this, as did my DD. It seemed upsetting at the time but it's hard to even remember she was in a harness for a few months now, try not to let it upset you.

How old is she?

She is two weeks old

Thanks for all the replies guys

Feel a lot better xxxxxx

Been quoted 289 for private scan

Not sure what to do

My daughter had hip dysplasia, she was scanned when she was born because I had it as a baby also. I remember getting a phone call from the consultant when she was just a couple of days old to say they wanted her in to fit for a brace, and we were in a restaurant and I full on broke down, big ugly crying, it felt like the worst thing ever. Now, I can barely even remember it and she’s a normal active 7 year old.
I can’t even remember exactly how long she wore it for, maybe 6/8 weeks full time and then a bit longer over night. It didn’t bother her in the slightest and I very quickly got used to changing and dressing her around it.
It’s a great thing that your daughter’s has been caught whilst she is still so little, means it can be fixed in no time. She will be just fine and you will get used to the idea very quickly, and one day it will be a totally insignificant memory.

Surprised this wasn’t picked up in the initial newborn examination. By the sounds of it I think it will all be ok. HV’s don’t have NIPE (newborn examination) training. The paeds doctor would have done 2 separate hip examinations during the NIPE so honestly I think it’s ok.

Hello - both my kids have had this, the youngest diagnosed at 4 weeks, had a few months in harness and them was fine (as is the case for most early diagnosis). The oldest had been prem and was checked by her paediatrician, nicu nurses, Gp and health visitor - but it still wasn’t picked up till 16 months. She has had to have multiple operations and casts.
The physical checks alone sadly miss a lot of cases. The good news is, the earlier diagnosis is the better the prognosis. However, it is still ok to feel rubbish about it. I cried a lot when my youngest was diagnosed and put in a harness despite knowing all the stats were on his side.

Whatever happens, you will be ok, and you and your baby will adapt if she needs to. There are great Facebook groups too with other families going through the same thing that you might find helpful.

You mentioned a private scan. You should be able to get a fast appointment for an NHS scan so I would pursue that course if you can - particularly as you can then start treatment straight away. I would be wary of a private scan unless carried out by children’s orthopaedic specialists- we were told that it is hard to diagnose in young babies so really you want a sonographer with experience and expertise in this area. Also while my youngest was in harness I had to take him back for scans every 2 weeks. To do the whole process privately would soon have got very expensive so get all the facts on that before embarking on a private route. Ideally though she should be scanned ASAP and before 6 weeks if possible.

I know it doesn’t seem that way now, but if there is a problem you are very lucky your hv has picked it up. Good luck 🍀 - and lots of 🍷for your journey.

@CrazyCatLover

Surprised this wasn’t picked up in the initial newborn examination. By the sounds of it I think it will all be ok. HV’s don’t have NIPE (newborn examination) training. The paeds doctor would have done 2 separate hip examinations during the NIPE so honestly I think it’s ok.

The paediatrician spent so long checking dd over

So i really hope the referral is just to rule things out

Who knows 😢😢

@user1471598758

My daughter had hip dysplasia, she was scanned when she was born because I had it as a baby also. I remember getting a phone call from the consultant when she was just a couple of days old to say they wanted her in to fit for a brace, and we were in a restaurant and I full on broke down, big ugly crying, it felt like the worst thing ever. Now, I can barely even remember it and she’s a normal active 7 year old. I can’t even remember exactly how long she wore it for, maybe 6/8 weeks full time and then a bit longer over night. It didn’t bother her in the slightest and I very quickly got used to changing and dressing her around it. It’s a great thing that your daughter’s has been caught whilst she is still so little, means it can be fixed in no time. She will be just fine and you will get used to the idea very quickly, and one day it will be a totally insignificant memory.

Thank you so much

Stupid question but how do they then fit in the car seat for appointments ?

@Bryzoan

Hello - both my kids have had this, the youngest diagnosed at 4 weeks, had a few months in harness and them was fine (as is the case for most early diagnosis). The oldest had been prem and was checked by her paediatrician, nicu nurses, Gp and health visitor - but it still wasn’t picked up till 16 months. She has had to have multiple operations and casts. The physical checks alone sadly miss a lot of cases. The good news is, the earlier diagnosis is the better the prognosis. However, it is still ok to feel rubbish about it. I cried a lot when my youngest was diagnosed and put in a harness despite knowing all the stats were on his side.

Whatever happens, you will be ok, and you and your baby will adapt if she needs to. There are great Facebook groups too with other families going through the same thing that you might find helpful.

You mentioned a private scan. You should be able to get a fast appointment for an NHS scan so I would pursue that course if you can - particularly as you can then start treatment straight away. I would be wary of a private scan unless carried out by children’s orthopaedic specialists- we were told that it is hard to diagnose in young babies so really you want a sonographer with experience and expertise in this area. Also while my youngest was in harness I had to take him back for scans every 2 weeks. To do the whole process privately would soon have got very expensive so get all the facts on that before embarking on a private route. Ideally though she should be scanned ASAP and before 6 weeks if possible.

I know it doesn’t seem that way now, but if there is a problem you are very lucky your hv has picked it up. Good luck 🍀 - and lots of 🍷for your journey.

So helpful thanks for taking the time to post your experience xxxxxxx

My nephew was treated for this and only had to wear a double nappy, not a harness.
It was missed in his mother and aged 40 she’s awaiting a hip replacement. So it being found at 2 weeks is incredibly good news.

Dd1's was only picked up at 6 weeks when she had a routine scan as she ticked all the boxes for potential hip dysplasia (female, first born, breach, c-section). She passed numerous checks with doctors before that so do get a scan, the NHS will refer you. She is still so little, you have lots of time to sort this. Double nappies help push the hips out a bit. It wont solve it but it can help I was told when we had the scan and waited a few weeks for the hip clinic appointment. The HV may be wrong but it is worth getting checked. she should be able to help you get a referral as she has flagged a concern.

@Dragonsandunicorns @Footnote

Thank you both

Really useful

I have gone from feeling really sad and terrible about it all to being hopeful

She is just so teeny wee angel

I completely understand how you are feeling, my son had to wear a Pavlik harness for eight weeks and has just finished his treatment. We had a routine hip scan due to him being breech when he was 6 weeks but the possibility of needing some treatment was also flagged up in his newborn checks. I bawled my eyes out when they first told me he needed one but actually the time flew by and he was not at all bothered by the harness. I had to take him to the hospital for weekly baths and for them to put a clean harness on him, and they scanned him every two weeks to keep an eye on his measurements. Early identification is really great so whilst it’s really difficult do try to see that as a positive. I say that even though I found it really hard! Part of my upset was at 6 weeks I had just felt we were in a rhythm and I could finally drive after my C-section and it felt like I was back to square one. At two weeks old if you are anything like me you are still just starting to get to grips with things so it feels really massive, I know that.

Two tips in case your little one ends up in the same harness, Marks & Spencer‘s do a clothing range with some clothes specifically for children in these types of harnesses, just Google M & S adaptive clothing. Also, when you are changing a dirty nappy, put a pair of your socks over their legs so you don’t get poo on the harness! Hopefully everything will be ruled out and your little one won’t need a harness, but if they do it is really good to have it at a young age when they aren’t trying to move etc. Good luck with it all. 😊

In addition to all the wonderful reassurance here, some practical things you can do in the mean time are double nappy or use cloth nappies, and carry her in an ergonomic sling like a stretchy wrap or ergonomic buckle carrier (not a narrow based carrier like bjorn or nuby) so that her knees are higher than her bottom in an M shape - this perfectly replicates the position a harness would give.

@Queenie6655

Been quoted 289 for private scan

Not sure what to do

@Queenie6655 My DD had to have a scan to check for hip displasia last summer as she had a clicky hip that the GP noticed at her 8 week check up. She had been in NICU and SCBU so already seen lots of doctors by then. The hospital rang the day after the GP contacted them and the appointment was 2 days later. So you might find the referral comes very quickly and you don't need to pay for a private scan.

Hi op,

I was born with hip dysplasia and had multiple operations. It was not caught in my oldest daughter until she was 12. She needed a hip replacement at 19.

Please know we both have lovely and active lives. Sending you tonnes of support 💐

Don't panic, easier said than done I know.

DD3 had hip dysplasia which was treated successfully with a harness. Hers was only picked up at 6 weeks - referred due to clicks hips at birth. I'v had a breech baby too who was also scheduled in for a scan at 6 weeks so that's the time frame they like to work to.

DD fitted in the maxi cosi seat and mainly wore dresses. I also used a sling - if you do check that it is safe for hips (from memory one of the big branded ones isn't). Also check out M&S clothes.

My daughter had mild hip dysplasia too which wasn't picked up by the doctor who did her newborn check but was noticed at the 8 week check and confirmed by ultrasound. She had to wear a pavlik harness for a few months which was initially upsetting for me, and yes a bit of a hassle, but honestly didn't seem to bother her. This got her hip angles back to normal. She is now 1.5 and we have just had her final check up x-ray comfirming all still good and consultant confident it will stay like that. Early treatment has a very high success rate. We didn't find any problems using our normal pram or car seat

If she does have it, treatment will depend on severity. My eldest had it but cloth nappies (they spread the hips more than disposable) and using a fabric sling (not a baby carrier) instead of the pram fixed it.

Thank you guys so so much

Really appreciate the replies

So wait and hear back re scan?

No need to pay for private as of yet?