At Katie's 4 month check up I mentioned the extra fold and the leg length to her pediatrician. He really felt that there was nothing wrong with her hips, and thought her legs looked fine. But, after spending an extended amount of time looking at her hips and legs, he gave us the paperwork to go get her x-rays at CHOC. Well, I put the paperwork on the shelf and kept putting it off. It was always in the back of my head, but I think I was scared of what it was going to show me.
At 5 months old, I finally took her to get the x-ray, because I knew that if she did have it, treating it sooner is far better than later. A few days later we got the call from the doctor that her leg length was equal (big relief, because how do you fix that?!), but there was "questionable evidence of hip dysplasia", so we were referred to a pediatric orthopedist. I called right away, and two days later we were sitting in the office of Dr. Weinert. He looked at her x-rays and immediately pointed out the problem: Katie's left hip is not sitting in the socket. It is caught behind a tendon and can't go back into place. He then went on talking and it was all just a blur. She has something called DDH: Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip, and she was born with it; it just went undetected. Then he says that he needs to move the hip back into place (Yes!) and then will need to place a cast on her body to allow it time to heal (Noooo!!!!!) The cast, he goes on to describe, will completely cover her left leg, go across her waist, and cover half of her right leg, just above the knee. While she has the cast on, the tendons will be strengthening and tightening, so that they'll be able to hold the leg in the hip socket when the cast is removed...in three months. Yes. Three months. Three months with a giant body cast on our sweet, precious little girl.
So, here we are. We've had several days to let this sink in. We aren't excited about it. We have a lot to figure out: Clothing in the cast, sleep in the cast, playing in the cast, eating in the cast, bathing in the cast, and diaper changes in the cast. The cast. Our 5 1/2 month old baby is going to be in a cast.
I have read so many blogs and joined a couple facebook support pages. I have decided to blog our journey because maybe our experiences will help someone else just like others have helped me.
Katie, our "hip" Goldenbaby, will have her closed reduction (that's the name of the procedure to move the hip back into place--closed means he doesn't have to open her up to do it) on Thursday. It will be an outpatient procedure, but she will be going under with anesthesia. Please keep us all in your prayers. Here's some pictures of all of our Goldenbabies. Oh how we love them so. They are our pride and joy.
Hang in there, mama. My daughter, Annie was diagnosed with hip displasia at birth and wore a brace for the first four months of her life. It was hard seeing her like that but I knew it had to be done. Again, hang in there.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I am only telling you this because no one told me (and I wish they had), but see how much pressure the cast is placing on Katie's head. That sounds weird, I know. But the position in which Annie laid in her crib, combined with how the brace made her sleep, caused the back of her head to become flatter. Praying for you, friend. All will be fine...
hugs and prayers--several of my kids had casts/braces on their feet and legs for 2 yrs, they are fine now, actually were all american athletes in high school. one day at a time, hugs and love for both kids.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying for you & the family!!! My cousin had this as a baby & at 7 months old had the cast put on for 4 months. My aunt was nervous. at first with the dealings of the cast & the every day life (shower, changing diapers, clothing) & became a pro at it! My cousin is 8 now & loves to run & be active. If you would like to chat with my aunt let me know. She would be an excellent person to talk to. Praying peace over your entire family!! -sheila agosto
ReplyDeleteHi! I just were this super long reply that disappeared into the cyberspace! My name is Shanna and my sister Joyce is friends with Helen Grange. My daughter Ally had surgery at 6 months. At CHoLA with Dr. Skaggs. She wore a cast from her armpits to ankle on one side and to her knee on the other from 6-9 months. There was a little diamond slit in the crothch for diaper changing! I used Pamper premium and would shimmy it up the back and the splay it up in the front without attaching the stickers. My advice is do not let anyone but you change diapers. It's tough but Ally's cast was super clean because I never took chances with someone else not getting it in right. It was the hottest summer on record since then and her body would expand in the day. She was a trooper! The cast was removed after three months and the procedure did not work. I was devastated. It was such a hard thing to hear! She then wore a brace on the outside of her clothes that kept her legs in the same position for 23 hours per day. She learned to crawl and walk at 14 months in the brace! She then wore it only at night for another six months. She is 8 now and is 100%vand has been since the end of the brace. She does amazing cartwheels and is joining the swim team. We have a follow up appr next week after a few years of not going back. People ask me how we did it and the answer is that we just did. One day turns into a week turns into a month and then before you know it it's over. I was sad not to have my first girls first summer of bubble suits and swimming. But she wore a size 4T flowery tank top every day for those three months In the cast and it worked out just fine! This is an abbreviated version of the story. Please feel free to email me at shanna_menezes@yahoo.com and I would be glad to answer any questions about our experience. The crazy thing is that apparently German shepherd dogs get DDH and so many people would tell me that they thought only dogs could get it. Hello? Who says that?! To a mom holding a baby with DDH! I laugh about it now but I was irked back then! I will pray for your peace of mind and strength to just do it. That's all you can do. One foot in front of the other. She will be just fine... And God has a purpose for this... For me it was a lesson in patience and teaching me not to sweat the small stuff. Thinking of you- Shanna
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about Katie's hip, Theresa and David. I hope and pray her procedure goes well this week. Its good you found it, asked about it and are taking care of your little girl. She will never remember the discomfort of the cast, being so young. And she will get her cast off in time for a cute swimsuit for summer. Blessings to you all! Love, Saundra, Taber and Hayden.
ReplyDeleteAll good things to come. And they will.
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