Physios/ mums Anyone experience of leg braces on a 6th month old?

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We brought DD to get an Xray the other day as she had an extra crease. Dr just phoned me yest to say that results were back and showed she has slippage in her hip. We are being referred to the hospital for assessment. Dr said they may give her braces, an operation or monitor her.

Does anyone know any more about this? Feeling a bit crappy but I know if she needs them, she needs them! She sleeps really badly at the min and I cant imagine these will help the situation! Plus im thinking about how frustrated she's gonna be. She has just started rolling and sitting up and loves the freedom of her walkie. Will the braces affect her development? Does the walkie affect their legs? (DR says no)

Would appreciate any advice.

My DD had one completely dislocated hip and one shallow, diagnosed at 6 weeks, and was in a series of velcro harnesses, brace and plaster in her first 18 months. She's now 3 and she's fine.

After a day or two's frustration with each new contraption, she got on with working out what she could still do - eg she got good at crawling backwards in the brace. Even if walking/crawling is slightly delayed, and it was for my DD whose condition sounds much more severe, it all evens out pretty soon and they typically concentrate on talking instead!

The STEPS charity website (sorry, can't do links) has loads on useful info on hip problems and a friendly forum full of parents helping each other to deal with it, and is well worth a look.

Remember, although it's hard for you especially at first, it's very fixable and she won't remember anything about it later.

HTH