Clubfoot/Talipes

[katie23913]

I posted this in the pregnancy topic but think I might get more advice in this this topic.

I have just had my 20 week scan and everything was ok apart from they picked up a problem with the baby's feet. I have to go see a consultant next week but I am worried and very upset over it.

The letter says abnormal alignment at the ankle joints suggesting Talipes which means Club Foot. They did say that this can be corrected but I am getting myself worked up over it.

Has anybody else had this and have their children had it corrected?

My daughter has terribly bent ankles and feet at birth, purely due to being so squashed in the womb. Looked bloody awful tbh.

We were referred for physio that was pretty useless and it eventually corrected itself.

She didn't walk until she was 2 though. She couldn't get a flat foot on the ground when upright.

I on know you're worried. I would have been devastated to have been told beforehand. I only found out after her birth. I just thought to myself of all the things that could be wrong, a squiffy pair of ankles ain't so bad x

A friend of mine had two children with club feet - you wouldn’t know now. She found it very distressing when she found out. Her children had special boots fitted and made which corrected the problem. You really wouldn’t know now they’re older.

Talipies can be positional as well as structural. Positional talipes doesn't usually require much intervention as there is flexibility in the joints. Physio exercises and stretching resolve it.

Structural talipes requires casts but it's resolvable. It's pretty common at birth tbh. This thread might help.

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/behaviour_development/1540790-Talipes-at-20-week-scan

My son had talipes (in a minor way) because he was breech all through pregnancy and sat on his feet. We were given physio exercises to do on him which cured it completely before he was old enough to walk.

My son was born with this almost 16 years ago, it wasn't picked up on a scan so no one knew until he was born, tbh it was a massive shock and it got me down so much, he had It in both feet and had to wear special boots, he had a op on them both at 10 Months and didn't walk until he was 2,after that things were ok, he wore special insoles in his shoes and then a couple of years ago he had to have another op on both his feet, apart from the scars you would never know there was anything wrong,when I tell people their shocked. You just have to think that it's minor compared to what some babies are born with x

A friend of mine was told her baby had this at the 20 week scan but when he was born it turned out just to be the way he was curled up and didn't need any intervention.

I had it! 33 now and no problems at all :)

@katie23913
My little boy is 3 months old and has talipes in his right foot. We also found out at the 20 week scan so just last year I was feeling exactly the same as you are now. I remember it so well, the appointment was on a Friday and I had to wait until the Monday to see a specialist in fetal medicine to find out more. I spent the whole weekend in tears so scared about what this would mean for my baby. I also didn't enjoy the rest of my pregnancy as much as I should have due to the constant worry about whether my baby would have any associated problems (which it's important to know are extremely rare, the vast majority of babies with clubfeet don't have any other problems)
I wish I could go back to that point and tell myself everything would be just fine.
My baby was born with fixed/structural talipes and we are currently going through the ponsetti treatment which is the common treatment nowadays, and is so amazing. Already his little foot looks completely normal, and the rest of the treatment from now on is just to maintain the correction.
If the talipes is confirmed it could also be positional and not structural, which only needs treatment with stretches/ physio rather than the ponsetti method.
At the moment please try not to worry until you have seen the specialist (I know how difficult that is though), however please message me if you would like any other information or just to talk xx

My best friends little one was born with talipes, diagnosed at 20 week scan. He did have it corrected as a newborn and wears special boots for bed until he is 5 to prevent relapse. But you'd never know watching him run around now at 18 months (he was walking at 10 months).

Thank you all for your responses, it's nice to see positive stories and they are giving me reassurance. I have read lots about how easy it is to correct. Hopefully the consultant will put my mind at at rest today xx

There is a great Facebook support page.

My DD is 6 now. She doesn't sit still. Swims, karate, yoga and always dancing.

She had a new cast every week for the first 12 weeks. An operation where they cut her acilies (sp?) Tendon and a cast for 3 weeks. Then boots and bar for 23 hours a day for 6 months. After which boots and bar for night and naps until 4. She still attends annual check ups but so far no further interventions.

Is this your first? She was our first so we didn't know any different with our second I missed having the bar as it made nappy changing easier.

There's a great charity called steps which gives lots of information on talipes and the treatments available. They also have forums which are great for getting advice.

My ds is nearly ten, both feet badly affected. Plaster casts weekly for 4 weeks from a week old. It was very emotional I should warn you!
Weekly hospital visits. A&E some nights with bad blisters, some weeks fine no issue.
You need to buy seamless socks - not as easy as it sounds. We used girls socks, plain white!
And a pushchair that boots /bar will fit, so nothing with a footwell type seat.
Car journeys are a nightmare, and shopping when everyone asking questions is no fun.
Ds didn't need any surgery and had the boots / bar til he was 3, check ups till 5. You would never know now!! Feel free to pm me any worries at all.

My DS was born with one clubfoot. Unusually it wasn't picked up on the scan. I think that was probably easier in a way as we didn't have all the worry about it beforehand. It was treated with the cast & boots which was a bit of hassle at the time but it does work. It didn't delay him walking and he's always been really sporty.
He's 11 now and does have one foot smaller and wider than the other but apart from that no problems at all. He's been signed off by the consultant and we never give it a second thought.
Please try not to worry. Once you hold your beautiful baby it really won't feel very important.

I was born with clubbed feet... i never had surgery because it wasn't the done thing but i had some special boots to encourage my ankles to correct. I learnt to walk in these boots, they had a metal bar between them but i still managed fine. I'm 35 now and never had any bother, so if there is an abnormality i would say don't worry about it and everything will be okay. Easier said than done but honestly, my parents were scared stupid but i turned out pretty well 😉😊

Thank you, I've spoken to quite a few people about it now and it's surprising to hear how many people know someone or have children who had the same problem and all have turned out fine. My grandma actually told me my auntie was born with something similar and had to have physio and she has no problems now, given that was almost 60 years ago that's reassuring because they won't have had the same treatments they do now. It's put my mind at rest a lot.

Hi, at my 20 weeks scan I found out that my baby girl has isolated bilateral talipes. After doing alot of research I found that its usually boys who have this condition and when girls have it, its usually just in the one foot. So ofcourse this is making me worry as I'm a worrier as it is!
Just wondering if any of you mums out there are experiencing the same thing or have already been through this?

Hi, hope your ok. I’ve been looking through the boards and the exactly the same thing has happened to me yesterday. I’m terrified couldn’t sleep just hoping I get to see a consultant this week and get some answers, Have you managed to find anything out?

Hi, yeah I'm okay thanks just still a little anxious and probably will be till baby girls here. Hope your doing okay and keeping a strong mind but I know its obviously easier said than done!
Sorry to say I have had no more information hense being back on the site but heres what I do know...
At my 20 weeks anomaly scan everything was going well but baby was laying face down bum up so had a great view of everything apart from heart and feet. Everything that the was able to be seen look great, no problems were found. Then the lady said to me that she is going to ask me to come back because she couldn't get a good enough view of babies heart and feet due to babies position. She then also said that from what she can see it looks asif babys feet were turning in (which made my heart nearly stop beating! It was so scary because I had no clue as to what this meant).
She then said that she will ask the midwife to speak to me to give me some more information on what was found. The midwife then explained that suspected talipes was found on the scan so I would be referred to see a consultant to have a more detailed scan.
Because of the situation we are all in at the moment (coronavirus) she said that she was finding it hard to get me an appointment and will call me when she managed to do so.
As I got home I got a call saying someone had cancelled so I could go in the day after to see the fetal medical consultant which was a relief not having to wait and worry for weeks.
Anyway the next day came and I was so nervous about what was going to happen because i really didnt have much time to do my research due to scan being the next day.
When I went in, the consultant managed to get a good look at the babys heart which looked good and couldn't see any other abnormalities but also said that she has to say that it could also be linked to other syndromes. Which I wasnt too worried about at the time because I had lower risk results from my bloods and measurements at 12 weeks scan ect. She also said that no other scans were needed and gave me a number to ring for any enquiries.

This is all the information I have at the moment and I am now 25 weeks pregnant and honestly finding it hard to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. I have found that Steps Charity have been helpful and would recommend checking them out.

Please do let me know if you get any other information that would be very much appreciated.

Hi my little boy is 7, and the foot that he had talapese on seems to be turning inwards a little . What op did your child have a couple of years ago? Was his because of a relapse ?