Anyone have any expirence of DDH or CDH (dislocated hips) & spica plaster casts?

[MaureenMLove]

A friend of mine has a dd who will be having a cast fitted next week to correct her hips. She's 14 mths old, bless her.
Has anyone got any expirence of this and what special equipment (ie buggy, highchair etc) did you need?
TIA

I had CDH. Had splint/plaster, along with several operations (was obviously a complicated case). I know very little about it, as obviously I can't remember it, but it might reassure your friend that I have come through it very well on the whole - have a leg length discrepancy, but orthotic adjustments to shoes help to balance that out (wish I'd got them before the age of 20 though, might have avoided scoliosis ). I do not have pain or mobility trouble. HTH.

Thanks. It seems that this op will correct completely, so that's a positive thing to start with. I've just had a look on steps charity website, but I don't really know enough about it and all the techincal terms to find my way around very easily!

Hi

I had this - was in plaster for 18 months. All fine now - no probs. Have no recollection of all of it apart from yearly visits to the childrens hospital for xrays and dr appt.

Mum has said it was difficult - as I'm now 33 difficult to pass on any practical info as times and equipment have changed so much. But mum and dad adapted and came out the other side! I'm quite proud to say that I never had a bath until I was 2!! Ha ha!

Best wishes to your friend.

Munch.

Oh yes, I remember those yearly X-rays - and having 'nearly baths' instead of 'really baths' after my second or third operation

DD2 was born with bi-lateral CDH and the hospital put us in touch with a charity called "STEPS" which supports families of children with lower limb abnormalities. They hire/lend (according to need) out special buggies/wheelchairs/high chairs etc. Sorry but DD2 is now twelve years old and as we have moved 3 times in the last 10 years I have now lost touch with the group I was involved with but they were nationwide 'cos I remember going to a national meeting one time. Don't know what area of the country you are in but your friend's HV should be able to do some digging for her and find out if the charity is still in existence.
No-one realises the difficulty of dealing with a kid in a hip spica, they're jolly heavy for one thing, very awkward to carry and really difficult to keep clean although if the child is 14 months at least most waste matter will be fairly solid (it was murder with a 6 week old!)
Please tell your friend not to be too anxious as my DD2 was quite bad (hips are scored 1-4 with 1 being the mildest form and 4 being the most severe and she had one catagory 2 and one catagory 3)but she is now like any normal 12 year old: legs same length, runs, swims, cycles and has played netball and hockey for her school.
I am sure that your friend's DD will be fine in the end but if she has older children to run after it would be very useful to get some specialised equipment (they won't fit into a car seat for example so school
runs are a nightmare). Failing that, good friends who will offer to help out and babysit while she goes shopping/collects other kids etc are a Godsend! Good luck and God bless to her and the lo.

It wasn't until I looked on this website and saw some pictures of littlies in plaster that I realised the enormity of it. She's having it done a GOSH, so one would hope she's in the very best hands. She was telling me today about having to put tena lady pads around the edge of the 'hole' before putting a nappy on. Not that I'm suggesting that either of you are old, but chances are, you were probably in towelling nappies! That must have been even more of a pain. Mind you, I suppose there was not worry about stabbing you with the pin!

Yes, terry nappies here (am 30 ) - and I only arrived 14 months after my brother. My poor parents...

I've found STEPS thanks. I'm actually her childminder! I only have her two days a week though and my others are schoolies, so I should be OK. Bit concerned about my dodgey back now though!

The worst problem will probably be keeping her amused. They're virtually immobile in a spica (can't bend in the middle) My DD was out of it by her first b'day but, if you can't get a specialised seat, we used a child's bean bag with half the "beans" taken out so that it moulded around her and allowed her to be propped up so she could see what was going on. (Otherwise she just had to lie flat-v boring!) This might be more problematic with an older child who has already begun to sit up and move around and has been used to being able to explore her environment(has she begun walking? - I know that some mild cases are sometimes not diagnosed until they start to pull themselves up on their feet). Whatever, I urge both you and her mum to get in touch with "Steps"; they're really helpful and they will put you in touch with the local group and some nearby families who will help you all through the minefield of "jargon" and temporary special needs equipment.

I've got a bean bag that will do just the job and sods law, she's started pulling herself up just this week! Thanks for your advice. I know mum has contcted STEPS and I've had a look, so I will be guided by want mum says and we'll learn together.