Baby with loose ligaments

[Abubu]

I took 10mo DD3 to the paedatrician earlier this week as they are investigating her sacral dimple in case she has spina bifida occulta.

While I was there she told me that DD3 also has loose ligaments. She asked me if I have noticed her sitting in strange positions - she tends to sit on the floor with her legs at funny angles rather than straight in front of her.

The paedatrician said that she may be slower to crawl and walk as she is so bendy and that she will probably have to have ankle support shoes when she starts cruising. Also that as she gets older she may have pain every so often.

My friend who also has loose ligaments has suffered from back problems all her life - to the extent that at age 32 she is about to have her second operation.

Anyone have any experience of this please? Age of walking etc, problems with sprains, pain etc?

Thanks

Try in the Special Needs site, there are lots of children there with hypermobility. It tends to have great variability and there are hints and tips that may help. Look into physio etc as DD will benefit from special shoes, like Piedro shoes (they have a website). Its all about management I think.

Yes - we have experience of this - ours is termed Benign Hypermobility Syndrome (other name Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobility Type (also known as Type 3) - my two children inherited it from me. Look at www.hypermobility.org to see if this sounds like your family.

The doctor sounds right - we have all been slow to learn to walk but you do get to walk eg 2 yrs old for my son, 19 mths for my daughter (both took longer to reach each milestone and needed physio, occupational therapy and orthotic boots to help them along their way).

We do not feel too much pain but get fatigued, bruise easily, look a bit clumsy (some children are mistakingly diagnosed as dyspraxic). Some hypermobile people are fab at gymnastics and ballet (also some famous footballers, cricketers and tennis players have it too) but we are not so sporty.

Perhaps start asking in your family about any clumsy people and see how they are as an idea how it can be for your family. Were any late walkers?

Thoroughly recommend the Hypermobility Clinics listed at the website.

Surgery is often the last resort after physio - maybe your friend should seek advice from a Hypermobility Clinic before she has the big op?

Usually children sit in W on the floor - ie feet either side of hips. Crawling is later and can of often be bottom shuffling as support in arms is not as strong due to the weaker collagen (connective tissue) structure in ligaments, muscle and skin.

My two have worn orthotic boots (which look fab and often people say ohh where can I buy those?) since they were babies learning to stand as boots give stability to ankles to help you stand =- ie before cruising). Later they were given inserts as well as boots - I have these too and feel better supported. Is anyone in your family flat footed or do they have high arches - do they have bunions - all hypermobility issues. I wish I could have had boots when learning to walk as I took till 3 yrs old to walk. Days are much different now.

For me, sprains occured in teenage years esp knees and jaw but everyone is different. No sprains yet for my two (eldest is 12).

Do ask anymore questions if you like.

Hi,

Thanks everyone. As far as we are aware there is nothing like this in either of our families - until now at least so I'm not sure where it is from.

DD3 does tend to sit in a bit of a W shape but only one side at a time. She is bottom shuffling and I think she would like to crawl but can't yet. I hope it doesn't take her too long to get around because I can see in her face she is desperate to get up and start playing with her sisters

Paedatrician didn't say how severe it was but will ask at her next appointment.

You won't necessarily know how severe it will be until she is much older: of my two, ds is more hypermobile but dd has had more mobility problems (has had to use wheelchair at times). Otoh ds finds a lot of everyday tasks more difficult as his wrists and fingers are affected. As for me it's only my fingers and wrists affected, but I am a strong walker and not at all easily fatigued. So it's not just different families that are affected differently, but individuals within the same family. And if it is Ehlers Danlos, it is usually hereditary but (I think) can also arise as a first.