Potential hip dysplasia in breeched baby

[Bootsandcat]

My 7 month old son was breeched but had turned last minute, the hospital didn’t refer him for the routine hip dysplasia scan even though I specifically asked the doctor (because a friend of mine’s baby had it done). When I double checked with the GP at his 6 week check up the GP said that’s against the National guidance and referred him for the scan. Took 5 months for the referral to come through and when we saw the consultant yesterday, we were told that he’s now too old for the ultrasound and too young for the x rays. So next step is to wait till he’s older and have two sets of x rays to see if he’s alright, luckily physical examination looks ok.

I’m a little bit heartbroken that it has taken the referral so long to come through that he’s now too old for the ultrasound and he’ll be exposed to unnecessary radiation. This is my little baby who was inside me when I had a CT scan and I breastfed and held when I had two additional CT scans within the first week of his life. I’m feeling guilty enough that I had exposed him to so much radiation. Now due to NHS delays he’s needing more x rays and if they pick up anything, because of his age, it will be more invasive treatment than just a brace if they had picked it up early. I’m guessing we will be waiting months again until the x ray appointment and to see the consultant again.

It doesn’t help that I’ve had an awful experience with my trust and this delay just further reinforces my view that they are just rubbish, staff are lovely when you get to see one, but they are so understaffed.

Can someone please share your experience of having a breeched baby and your hip dysplasia scan experience please? I just want some assurance that things will be ok.

I was born with double hip dysplasia 49 years ago. I had several x rays as a baby (obviously back then it wasn’t seen as such a risk!) and had to wear a harness for 6 months.
17 year old ds was born without complications (he wasn’t breech).
During his discharge checks I specifically requested the paediatrician check for signs of dysplasia due to my history. He was very quick but assured me all was ok.
It wasn’t because when ds was just 4 weeks old I noticed that he couldn’t put his left leg downwards.
After endless NHS appointments and being made to feel a time waster we were told all was ok.
However, neither I or my wonderful GP would take this as being true because he still would not lower his leg easily.
I end up paying a private orthopaedic specialist to see him and sure enough he had hip dysplasia.
He did have a single x ray at about 8 weeks old then had to go into a Pavlik harness for several months.
It’s such a worrying time isn’t it.
It will be absolutely fine.
My dysplasia was fine and I have had no come back from it at all.
DS is 17 and is training as a bricklayer and up and down ladders all day. He has been fine. He does have some issues with knee subluxation, that may or may not have anything to do with the dysplasia (trying to get answers out of the NHS is a nightmare) but we also have hyper mobility in the family so who knows!
Have the doctors talked about using a harness at all?
How have they left you with this?

I should add that mine wasn’t picked up until I was an older baby, not at birth. I think I was nearly a year when I had my harness. It wasn’t a Pavlik one, it was like a plastic bar which went across and my hips were in plaster. Mum and dad said it was a pain but I obviously remember nothing about it. I do remember having some X-rays and physio when I was a small child though but it was fine.
I hope it all goes well.

Thank you so much for your response!! It’s just difficult because most resources on the internet refer to the 6 month threshold for the harness and I can’t find anything in relation to a late diagnoses and how it impacts on treatment/ his later life. So thank you for responding