Mild positional talipes - alternative to ponseti method?

[Twinmum034]

Hi, I'm a twin mum of 12 week old boys - at the 20 week scan one was diagnosed with bilateral talipes although I was mainly told it was a soft marker for Down's syndrome which in a very rare amount if cases may be true but it's incredibly uncommon.

At birth it was considered mild and when seen by a consultant at 10 weeks it was graded 0.5 and only in one foot - in fact the consultant said it wasn't considered talipes as it wasn't severe enough - with one cast the foot looked better than the unaffected one and then the boots and bar we're fitted.

My little solider spent a week in intensive care when he was born and didn't wimper when he had the cast on but the boots and bar made him wail in agony for hours - he's such a trooper I took them off and went back to the hospital they said they could reduce the angle of the affected foot which eased his pain slightly but he hates the boots and is a totally different baby.

Has anyone rectified mild talipes with physio? I'll pay anything to get him better without these boots and bar and can't help thinking as it's so mild it's overkill but also don't want to deny him the
treatment he needs.

I'm based in London so any recommendations for physiotherapists would be greatly appreciated even if just for a second opinion.

I am miles away from London, but yes, my DC2's very mild positional talipes (undiagnosed before birth) was dealt with by physio alone, and had gone completely by the time he was 4 months old.

Fantastic, thank you - I think because his was picked up on a scan they've given him more treatment. Was your child graded? It would be great to know a 0.5 or higher had been rectified with physio.

How often did you see the therapist?

Thanks again!

No he wasn't graded - they were very relaxed about it all! We saw a physio on the postnatal ward (after it was picked up at hia paed check) before we left hospital (he was a day old), then again at the clinic for a reassessment a week or two later (I forget exactly when, it was 3 and a half years ago). Then IIRC he had appointments every 4 or so weeks until 4 months, then was discharged. It was mainly about us doing lots of exercises at home (essentially stroking and stretching out his foot). We did have the chat about the boot option, but I remember the paediatrician and physio agreeing that if would be premature to try this before physiotherapy.

Thanks I got a second opinion on Harley Street who said his feet are fine and there isn't even any physio needed and the boots could be damaging his ankles as he's hyper mobile.
The nhs consultant is adamant he needs these boots and is increasing the angle of the turn next week which is incredibly painful for him.
I'm really confused as the Harley street consultant was really concerned that ponseti had been prescribed for such mild positional talipies - he checked my and my other twins feet - and found a hereditary match on the bones and his brothers ankle joints are very slightly out but nothing serious.
I don't want my baby in pain or having treatment he doesn't need nor do I want him to have issues later in life.
If anyone knows any specialists in this field I'd really like a 3rd opinion on this.