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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Can anyone reassure me? My 6 month DD hips "pop". She was breech, having scan next week and worried.

32 replies

SuchFunSuchFun · 14/06/2012 13:50

Basically the subject says it all. She was born by ELCS because she was breech and all went well, she had the routine (for breech babies) hip scan at 6 weeks and nothing abnormal was detected, but when I change her nappy I have noticed that her hip "pops" and also the creases in her legs don't line up which we were told to look out for. I went to the GP and he has referred us for another hip scan.
Has anyone else been through this and everything has been fine, or do I need to gear myself up for her to be in splints or have surgery? She sits up on her own and doesn't seem to be in any pain which reassures me a bit, but I'm still worried.
Thanks.

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Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 14/06/2012 14:17

Getting a bit worried that no-one can reassure me

Can anyone give me their experiences so I know what I might be in store for? I'm really worried.

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Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 14/06/2012 15:40

bump??

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Heavensmells · 14/06/2012 16:09

Was not the same as the situation that you are in but my dd had CDH, her hip was completely out of the socket.
Will answer any questions you have.
Try not to worry too much, early scan was clear and my 6mo ds also has an extra crease but has been checked out and all is fine.

Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 14/06/2012 16:31

Thanks Heavensmells (of what by the way?!!)
What did your DDs treatment involve? I know I shouldn't worry but I tend to "prepare for the worst and hope for the best"

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Heavensmells · 14/06/2012 18:57

My dd's condition wasn't picked up until she was one. It was congenital and was as quite severe. She had 3 ops, a metal plate inserted and was in a hip spica. I believe treatment for a younger baby is much simpler. It was also 10 years ago so not sure if treatments are more advanced now.

This would be absolute worse case scenario though. Your dd had a clear scan at 6 weeks which is obviously a massive positive. My dd is 11 now and absolutely fine.

Feel free to ask any other questions. I hope I haven't made you worry even more

Heavensmells · 14/06/2012 19:00

Btw the nickname Heavensmells came from an argument that my dd and then 4yo ds were having. She was saying "you smell" and answered back "well heaven smells" and it made me laugh'

Let me know how the scan goes

Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 14/06/2012 22:02

Lol, heaven smells is great

No you haven't made me worry more, you've helped, thank you. Like I said I prefer to prepare for the worst. It sounds perverse but I'm usually then pleasantly suprised when things aren't as bad as I expected!!

It's good to know that despite such a severe case your DD is fine now, I'll be able to remind myself of that if she does need any treatment.

I'll post back here after she's had her scan.

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neshi · 16/06/2012 19:55

Hi,

My DS was also born by ELCS because he was breech but his hip problem was detected straight away, before leaving the hospital. His values were not very concerning and one side was worst than the other.
He was on a harness for 3 months, 24/7 and the values got a lot better. After that he used a double anppie for 3 further months and we had routine appointments with x-rays every 6 months and the left hip is still a bit "loose".
Now, he will be 2 years old next month, we will have another x-ray and appointment and this will be the time to decide if we just let nature flow or if he needs an intervention...hope not :(

If your DD is 6 months that is still an early age so its good news! From what I heard and read, most children have good outcomes from whatever treatment they are put under, and the earlier the better, so it's good she is still a small baby!

Good luck and let us know how does the scan go!

rhetorician · 16/06/2012 20:33

dd2 had CHD as well, picked up at 6 weeks, straight into Pavlik harness for 12 weeks, then values looked ok (consultant says that they don't deal in degrees, hip joint is either into socket deep enough or it isn't). Consultant did say that after a certain point the pavlik (a soft harness) delivers diminishing returns. We have follow up x ray at 8 months. DP's sister like heavensmells wasn't picked up until later and did have surgery. I'm afraid that you just have to go with it - the alternative is early onset arthritis (often in teens) and a lifetime of pain and probable hip replacement.

What's the crease thing, btw? This wasn't mentioned to us at all

Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 17/06/2012 15:00

rhetorician apparently if the creases aren't symetrical (sp?) it can be a sign that the bones aren't right underneath (or something like that), they did say that's not always the case, but the creases on her thighs are completely different, and her bum crease goes off at an angle at the top. This and the popping are what worries me.

I'm trying to work out if anyone else has had these "symptoms" and been fine, or I should be preparing myself.

Heavensmells can I ask how ur DDs condition was picked up, what made you/HCP suspect there was a problem?

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lelait · 17/06/2012 16:33

My dd had/s CHD - her right hip was also completely out of the socket, & the other was not well developed. I would say that the chance - even if there is something - of it being too serious is not very big if they did not pick up anything on the scan at 6 weeks - as it was very obvious that dds hip was not well formed at all.
While they are young and the bone is not 'proper' bone I think they can do a lot with just a harness (which is very easy to deal with) - I'm not sure at what age the bone becomes harder, but DD had a harness until about 7 months.
Good luck!

bitingteeth · 17/06/2012 20:49

My DD was breech, at hospital they suspected CHD, referred to physio for check, then scans and then she went in a pavlik harness at 6 weeks old. She was borderline as to whether she needed treatment, but we decided to deal with any potential issue now when she was young, rather than wait till she was years old. The harness was on her 24/7 for 5 weeks. It wasn't easy at the time, I won't lie. But I was struggling with being a new mum anyway. But I look back now, and it seems such a short space of time.

She has been checked on twice since the removal and all looking okay. At least your DD has been seen and is being looked at. Better to get any potential issue sorted now than later on.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Heavensmells · 17/06/2012 23:59

They first suspected all was not well at her 9 month check. H.V noticed that she had an extra crease at the top of her right thigh. I'd never noticed anything different. She crawled at 7 months and could stand with support.
I was told that they would send her for a routine scan. Scan appointment took four months to come through and this was after weeks of chasing it up. She walked before her treatment and had to learn to walk again.
As I said though my 6 month old ds2 also has an extra crease in one leg. He has been scanned and all is fine.

Heavensmells · 18/06/2012 00:01

My dd also had one leg much longer than the other.

Stonefield · 18/06/2012 00:28

I was breach and delivered by forceps. Had quite severe chd and was in a splint for several months. I'm now 32 and it never caused me any further problems. Treatment is tedious but it will all be fine.

CatPower · 18/06/2012 00:39

I was breech and premature, born with my left leg very bruised and twisted. X-rayed and all was fine... twenty-six years later I was diagnosed with CDH! I'm on umpteen million painkillers, crutches, and waiting for a periacetabular osteotomy (don't google if you're squeamish), a fairly big operation which, put simply, will cut my hip bones and so the socket comes further over the ball of my thigh bone, holding it in place. I wish my CDH had been picked up when I was little! Wishing all the luck in the world to you and your DD, afaik the treatment for infants is faaaar simpler than it is for adults, and should lead to a healthy, happy, hip-steady life!

lelait · 18/06/2012 18:49

Heavensmells, sorry to highjack, but what happened with your daughters legs being a different length (DD is now 5 and the right leg is still shorter & she has to have insoles)?

mummytime · 18/06/2012 19:00

My next door neighbours little girl had this, and did need to go in a cast. It was awkward but not painful. She is now 13 and plays netball at County level, so long term the out look is good.

TheToadLessTravelled · 18/06/2012 19:48

Ds had x-rays for this a couple of months ago (at around six months old) after recieving differing opinions on whether his legs were different lengths. We got the best possible outcome thankfully - no hip issues just a hyper flexible baby that will probably always click but has no issues :)

Heavensmells · 18/06/2012 21:10

Sorry lelait my last post wasn't very clear!
One of her legs was longer than the other because the joint was not in the hip socket making the leg longer iykwim.
Once the joint was in place then the problem was solved, one leg is still a couple of cm's longer but it doesn't cause her any problems.

rhetorician · 18/06/2012 22:53

catpower - that sounds very tough. DP's sister still has some minor issues with her hip, although I think usually the outcomes for treating children are very very good (our consultant said of all the things you could have, it was 'the best' because the most treatable without high level intervention).

DD2 now I look has slightly uneven leg crease (symmetrical, but much deeper on one leg than the other) - she came out of pavlik at 18 weeks (after 12 weeks) and has to be x-rayed at 8 months (in Aug) and then at around 14 mo.

I hope you get an answer soon.

Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 19/06/2012 10:38

Thanks everyone, it's lovely and reassuring to hear such positive outcomes.

Unfortunately we had a phonecall yesterday to say that her scan now can't be done this week and has been moved till 4th July. I tried to get them to change it again but they can't (or won't?) but they wouldn't give me a reason why they have changed it. Not looking forward to the wait now. My GP had done such a good job of getting us seen so quickly after I'd seen him. as well.

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rhetorician · 19/06/2012 20:29

suchFun - I don't get why they are buggering you about - with dd2 we had routine scan at 6 weeks and she left that day in her harness (and this is Ireland, where public health services leave a lot to be desired aren't that great). Can you call them again? Maybe you should have said you'd be on holiday?

theborrower · 19/06/2012 22:35

Hi - try not to worry. My daughter (now nearly 2) had hip dysplasia when she was born. She was breech so it was picked up straight away. She wore a Pavlick Harness until she was two months old (although initially we were told she would wear it until 3-4 months, but it corrected itself very quickly). Like bitingteeth said, it wasn't easy, but it was such a short space of time, and she's all fixed now, so absolutely worth it!

It is easier to treat the younger the baby because the bones are softer, so treatment becomes more 'intrusive' I guess as they get older. I understand that a body cast and traction or surgery may be needed the older the child is, but I'm not a doctor so I don't know at what stage different treatment is recommended. The most important thing though is that it's being checked out, and that it gets fixed x

Original poster

SuchFunSuchFun · 20/06/2012 18:09

I don't know either rhetorician, she had the 6 week scan and the sonographer at the time said everything was ok and that was the end of it. Thinking back though I never got a letter from them afterwards which I thought we might have, I don't know if that's significant, if I've missed something. I hope not.

I only took her back to my GP very recently because I'd noticed the popping noise, although it's not every time I change her nappy, and also because I noticed her creases aren't symetrical.

To be honest, it's not the changing the appointment that bothers me, I am fairly resigned to things like that with our hospital unfortunately. I might try to tell them we'll be away though, I'd prefer to know where we stand sooner rather than later. Thanks for the suggestion, I don't know why I didn't think of it.

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