Talipes

[DeathMetalMum]

Dd was born with tallipes (turned in feet), we did massages to try and coax them back to normal though this has had some effect the right foot is still turned in. We have a physio appointment next month just wondering if anyone has had any experience of this?

Dd has talipes in her right foot we think because she was 9lb+ and very overdue.

It corrected itself though so don't have experience of the physio. I worried about it because she wasn't crawling by 10 months then one day she marched across the room steady as anything!

Have you had a hip scan?

DS had this in both feet when he was born. He had special shoes when he was about 3 months old and we did the massages. We didn't really notice a difference but he's 2.6 now and has no problems walking so don't worry too much if it doesn't correct. The sonographer who picked up the condition at 20 week scan said she actually had talipes herself that was never treated and it didn't affect her in any way. Once your DD starts walking it will correct itself.

DS1 had talipes and physio taught me how to massage his feet for a few minutes each morning and night. Stuck to it 95% of the time for 6 months and it really helped. He is 9 now and has never looked back, runs around with the best of them

Listen to the physio and follow instructions, I loathe being told what to do but this was one piece of advice I am glad I took. Good luck, sure it will be fine.

Sorry should have said, it was the physio who fitted the shoes for him. There isn't much else they can do aside from demonstrating the massages and checking the foot over, at that age, I don't think.

Has your dd been seen by a physiotherapist with specialist knowledge in this area? Presumably she's been diagnosed with positional tallipes and not anything structural (sorry, I don't know the correct terms!).

My dd was born with positional tallipes and started off with plaster casting and then boots with a bar. Within 3 weeks the consultant decided to give massage and special shoes a go. The massage had no impact, the shoes seemed to help. The physio said then that often it corrects as they start to walk - if it doesn't they then need to revert to boots with a bar. So she was monitored for a couple of years.

She's now 7 and is running, dancing, doing gymnastics - no issues at all.

My ds was born with a severe and atypical form of talipes in both feet so I have experience of this. His condition is such that no amount of massaging and special shoes will correct the problem. This is unusual though.

If massage alone doesn't sort it out, there is a widely used method of treatment called the ponsetti method. It involves putting the child's foot in a cast which is set while the physio holds the foot in the desired position. This is repeated weekly. A minimally invasive surgical procedure is also an option if need be - the Achilles tendon is snipped and the foot set in a cast for a 6 week or so recovery period. This is usually followed by special boots- all the time for a short while, then just at night. The success rate of this method is very good I believe.

Ds had the casts from 2 weeks old, the surgery at 3 months and is still in the boots at night at the age of 4.

So, there is plenty that can be done at a very young age, if need be, and none of it is as bad as it probably sounds to the uninitiated.

Cross posted with Devora - the boots I refer to are the boots and bar she mentions....

Following on from what Flossie said, I would urge you to make sure your dd is seen by a physio who really knows what they are doing. At the time my dd was diagnosed there were very few NHS clinics offering Ponseti, though I think this has probably changed. You need to get her seen by a physio who really knows their stuff and can access the full range of treatments.

I got very good advice on the online forum run by the talipes charity Steps.

We're a double act, Flossie.

Indeed! Very good advice about seeing a specialist. There is potential for inexpert treatment to make things worse I think. We are fortunate enough to live near one of the UKs biggest children's hospitals, and they treat a constant stream of kids with talipes.

Thanks, I did some googling (I know) and got myself a little worried though I did stumble on the Steps website. The pead who did her newborn check put positional talipes on the write up. No hip scan so far. She is 4 months so will be 5 months give or take when we see the physio. The letter from the hospital says just child physio so not quite sure if it's a specilist. Silly question but how would I know?

We have been stroking the outside of dd's foot as advised by the pead and hv. Though I have noticed that recently she seems not to strech her foot as much now when we do this, though she does happily strech out and straighten it at other times.

DS was born with positional talipes.

After physio and massage/ manipulation, he's absolutely fine.

Good luck.

If it's definitely positional talipes then the stakes are not so high. If it was the other kind you'd definitely want referral to a Ponseti specialist. When dd was born we were really lucky that our local hospital was the best place in London for Ponseti, but I know one MNetter whose son - a decade ago now - had to travel every month from London to Sunderland for treatment. (I imagine the Ponseti method is now much more easily available across the UK.)

I found out about where to go by posting on the Steps forum. But as I say, if it's positional then you won't need Ponseti so i think you can afford to relax until you get that appt.

Best of luck.

DS2 had positional talipes. The midwives at the hospital spotted it, a paed came and checked him over (to confirm positional) and then we had a physio came out to show stretching exercises. We tried to remember (!) to do these a few times a day.

We did the exercises / stroking outside of foot for a few months, the physio came out every so often and discharged him when he was about 10 months old.

He is 3 now and has perfect feet.