Talipes at 6 months

[typhoonsmum]

My DS (6 months)has been "diagnosed" as having Talipes. It was noticed at birth but no-one referred him to physio so nothing was done about it till DP asked me to check with the HV when he was 5 months old. He is now nearly 6 and a half months and going between plaster casts and dennis brown boots. I'm not sure if any of you know anything about treating talipes at his age. Just feels futile. He keeps kicking the boots off and the plasters cut his ankle last time. I've put in a complaint to the hospital but not heard anything yet. He will start to get on the move soon and I don't want him to be delayed by boots or plaster casts.
Has anyone any ideas how to keep the boots?

BUMP

have a look at the steps website- more people with more relevant info for you...good luck
ps i had a dd with hip spica cast for dislocated hips so can imagine how you're feeling xx

no idea hope some one comers along soon!

Hi there,
My Ds2 who's now 18 months was born with very severe talipes that were diagnosed at my 20 week antenatal scan. He went into casts aged 6 days for 7 weeks (weekly changes) then had a small operation called a tenotomy back into casts for 3 weeks the boots and bars for 3 months for 23 hours per day and since then has to where them between 12 and 16 hours over night. I understand your frustration with the boots and bars my DS2 really didn't get on with the Dennis browne boots and after a long battle with his NHS trust he now has Michell boots which are much kinder to his feet.
How long was your son in plaster casts and did he have a tenotomy? The major reason for a child slipping their boots is that full correction hasn't been achieved yet. Don't worry about the treatment starting later I have spoken to many parents who's children started Ponseti treatment well after there 1st Birthdays and it has been very successful. My main concern would be if your DS's hospital are not following correct Ponseti protocall.
Please do join steps charity visit www.steps-charity.org.uk. It takes a few days for your registration to be activated so I can talk to you on here until then but you can look at all the info on the site and read about other children and parents journeys. I'm 'shadow' on there and visit most days.
Speak soon x

Bump so you see

my daughter is 6 months old and has ddh (2 dislocated hips) shes has to wear a full body splint that causes very bad sores on her ankles and where shes got fat. we go for weekly check ups and ive asked the nurses to put gauze over the sore areas or clear plasters before they reapply her splint has been great since then, hardly any sores now

Sorry for your troubles typhoonsmum. Our lo's talipese was picked up by the paediatric physio who examined him in the neo-natal unit at 2 days. We were given an appt 2 wks later at which they were to fit his 1st stookie but she gave us exercises to do with him in between. When we turned up for the appt the exercises had worked so well that they put off the plastering for another 2 wks and by then the heel bone had dropped and his calf was getting bigger. They don't want to intervene at all now and although he still has a little tightness to work on his affected calf is now bigger than the other one (a bit over-zealous with the exercises perhaps, we're now trying to build up the other leg too)!

Not posting this to be smug, just to let you know what outcomes are possible if the problem is picked up early enough. Ours was v small at birth tho' so maybe that's why he was checked over and his leg posture was obviously wrong to look at. Perhaps it's not always so easy to spot.

Very best of luck with his treatment - I'm sure he's still young enough to sail through it, but obviously more aware of the discomfort, poor wee thing.

Sorry to hear about your DS and can understand why you're a wee bit angry! But the main thing now is to get the correct treatment, which should be the Ponseti method, all the info is on the Steps website. Even though he has been picked up a bit late, the outcome can still be excellent with this treatment approach - so you should ask your consultant, or whoever is treating him to refer you to someone with expertise in the ponseti approach, if they are not able to provide it.

Good luck

Sorry - just re-read the OP, it was picked up early, just not acted on - you must feel v frustrated.

FWIW the main exercise we were given was to stroke along the outside edge of the foot with back and edge of thumbnail in a firmish tickly sort of way from heel up to little toe. This encourages the leg muscles to contract to force the heel bone down. Repeat 5 times or so at every nappy change. Not sure if any good when older but don't think it would do any harm. We also have to stretch his foot in a particular way but I would ask the physio to show you as hard to describe.

I know a child who had quite a severe case of this. Casts for the first year, then a couple ofops and splints - he's now doing well. Don't worry about moving being delayed - if they want to move they do with casts on too!

My dd was diagnosed before birth with 'moderate to severe' talipes. Turned out to be a very mild case, and she just had one week in plaster casts and one week in boots and bar. That week was hell, though - I'm so sympathetic to the difficulty of keeping them in boots. I've met a number of other parents who say they DO get used to it, but obviously you need to be sure the treatment is correct and the boots well fitted.

I would second contacting the steps website - loads of useful information. It seems that talipes treatment really varies in quality and it is worth attending a clinic where they follow Ponseti properly (lots say they do but don't do it well).

I don't know where you live, but I bet if you post on the steps website someone will be able to suggest a good clinic in your area.