Hip Problems - 6 month old
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Topic: Hip Problems - 6 month old
Posted By: babygiraffe
Subject: Hip Problems - 6 month old
Date Posted: 08 August 2012 at 5:31pm
We found out the other day that our daughter has hip problems. Her hips are not displaced, the sockets are just not deep enough so she has to wear a brace for 3 months. I'm feeling pretty gutted about it, the brace looks uncomfortable and I'm worried it will upset my cruisy, happy wee girl. Has anyone else had to deal with this? How did you cope? I'm not sure about whether she will be able to go in her exersaucer/jolly jumper or if she will even fit in her car seat. What will I dress her in! I'd love to hear from anyone else who has been/going through this - thanks 
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Replies:
Posted By: lisame
Date Posted: 09 August 2012 at 9:32am
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I have a friend whose baby had to wear a brace for three months when very small for a similar reason. Initially she was feeling the same as you - but once the two of them got used to it, and found ways to still do the things they needed or wanted to do, she said it actually wasn't as bad as she was expecting. It may not get in the way as much as you think; and there's no way they'd make a baby wear something that would mean it couldn't get in a car seat!!
Hopefully once you've got past the first week or so, the rest of the three months will fly by. Good luck. |
Posted By: koromiko
Date Posted: 09 August 2012 at 6:12pm
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We have just had a harness recommended for our 4 week old who also just has shallow sockets. We're not sure how necessary it is and the Dr didn't answer all our questions. Feeling gutted too! They said there weren't any down sides but it seems to me there are quite a few. Would like to hear from others who have been through this. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: babygiraffe
Date Posted: 10 August 2012 at 7:44am
| I think we pick up our brace today so I guess she will be in it this weekend. I'll let you know how we go. Dreading it! But as you say lisame, its probably not as bad as I think it will be. Kids are so adapting. |
Posted By: tinkabelle
Date Posted: 10 August 2012 at 8:51pm
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Hey Babygiraffe and Koromiko. My wee boy (now 2.3 years old) was diagnosed with Congenital Hip Dysplasia (clicky hips) at birth, confirmed by ultrasound at one week. He had a shallow socket on his right hip. They picked it up easy cos I had the same thing at birth, and he was an undiagnosed breech (hello emergency c-section!) so was high risk for it.
He went into a Pavlik Harness at 6 weeks (long story of incorrectly fitted harness to start with, I'll try not to rant), and wore it til he was 5 months of age. Ask me anything, I'd be happy to help as I found it pretty scary at the time! Re: what to dress them in - Since Sam is a boy, dresses were not an option but may be for you guys! It was winter, he wore a lot of onesies (long sleeves, no legs), and legwarmers (cheap on Trademe) and knee-high merino socks (Lamingtons, available at the sleepstore). Loose booties fitted over the feet part of the harness. Slept in loose gowns. No pants or all-in-ones fitted really, except big baggy ones! Re: carseats and prams - we rolled a wrap to put under his bum between his legs iykwim so he fitted ok. We had a normal capsule, it was fine. General advice: make sure you see someone who has experience! The first Ortho Surgeon we saw fitted the harness incorrectly, as did the second one. I only figured it out because it kept falling off his shoulders, we couldn't figure out how to change the nappy without undoing it, and his legs were able to be stretched out. I googled and compared pics online from how it was fitted on him, and lost the plot at the Hospital!! I work for the hospital, so knew exactly who to complain to to get results. We ended up insisting on seeing someone from out of area (we are in the wairarapa) who was experienced in this area. I also insisted on regular revies (fortnightly) to adjust the harness as they grow so fast when little, and original plan was "see you in three months". Not good enough IMHO as if the harness isn't fitted correctly, it won't work, and if it doesn't work, you are looking at casts, and maybe even surgery! *sigh* rant over.... Also recommend: I cut the legs off a pair of merino pants to make loose socks to have on UNDER the harness (ie you don't take them off) to avoid rubbing of velcro on baby skin. Also got sterile powder (Dr said curash was great) to put in creases to keep them clean and dry so you don't get any sweating / fungus issues. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: tinkabelle
Date Posted: 10 August 2012 at 8:58pm
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Wow long! But a bit more:
DON'T WORRY! Babies are adaptable. Sam was perfectly happy in the harness. It sucked for me at times, I shed lots of tears, hated not being able to bathe him or tickle his toes. I did take it off for about an hour once a week (against advice) to let him kick and give him a good clean / cut his toe nails etc, and just cos I wanted to! It didn't hold back his development at all - he rolled the week after we got it off, crawled at 7 months, walked on time, runs everywhere! At two he had the official "all clear" so we have no more follow up at all, and he has perfectly normal hips! I was in the harness as a baby from birth - 3 months, and I have no issues now. I do look like a dick when I run tho! And tramping makes my hips hurt, but otherwise no drama! Any Qs, please ask!! So happy to help, I know it can be upsetting and it feels like a lifetime and it's hard to see your lovely wee one in this strange contraption. But looking back it's such a small period of time and the results were def worth it. I have a friend who they did not pick up her CHD until she was over 2, and she has lots of difficulty walking and had both her hip joints replaced before she was 30, and will have to have them done again every 10-ish years. So I know we are lucky! Good luck guys ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
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Posted By: tinkabelle
Date Posted: 10 August 2012 at 9:04pm
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PS one last thing - if you are thinking of cloth nappies, I would put it off til after the harness comes off. The angle of the legs means you get lots of leaks around the leg-holes (even in 'sposies). Take changes of clothes out with you as you are bound to get a soak-thru-every-layer leak while you're out! Of course having a boy might have made this more of an issue :oS ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
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Posted By: koromiko
Date Posted: 16 August 2012 at 9:46pm
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Thanks so much Tinkabelle, that's so useful.
How are you going now Babygiraffe? Finding good positions for breastfeeding has been the biggest challenge for us. Followed by nappies. We were using cloth but they don't seem to work with the harness, which is a shame, I hate throwing out all the disposables and they seem to leak more. We had some accidents where poo got on the harness but scrubbing with Sards Wonder Soap and a toothbrush got it off, then we wiped it with a wet paper towel and dried with another. We have started keeping some socks (I think they are 1 year size) over the boot part to keep that clean and I have wrapped some cloth around the straps at the back. That way if they get poo on the cloth can just go in the wash. I just stuck it on with masking tape but you could make something with velcro. I have just heard about a woman in Christchurch who makes pants for babies in a pavlik harness (http://www.facebook.com/greenappledesigns). She had a baby in a harness and she just makes them in her spare time. We have bought some merino/cotton stretch and grows in 00 size from farmers which are quite stretchy and fit over the harness, just bunched up on the legs and rolled up sleeves. Our harness was fitted by a nurse who was meant to be the expert in it but then we saw a doctor and he said it was too tight. |
Posted By: koromiko
Date Posted: 16 August 2012 at 10:03pm
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Just remembered your little one is 6 months old so the sizes will be different, we have gone from 0000 to 00 for stretch and grows now that she's in the harness. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: tinkabelle
Date Posted: 17 August 2012 at 9:25am
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No worries. We got sent a spare harness so if one got poo on, we just swapped to the other harness and chucked the poo one in the wash. Maybe request one? We took both to fittings to keep them both adjusted correctly. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
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Posted By: fallen
Date Posted: 18 August 2012 at 1:08pm
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I found this http://www.facebook.com/groups/ddhsupportworldwide/ - group on facebook fantastic. The parents there are a wealth of knowledge. ------------- |
Posted By: babygiraffe
Date Posted: 19 August 2012 at 9:19am
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Hi girls
Our wee one is in a Denis Brown Abduction splint. Its on a metal frame and valcro's around her waist and then around her thighs to bring her legs up. It looks so uncomfortable but she seems to be coping quite well. She had a few nights of waking up but she is also teething so could've been that. She slept through last night so I'm guessing it doesn't make her sore. They told me to put the brace under her clothing so I didn't have to take it off every time I changed her nappy but its actually easier to just whip it off, change her and put it back on again. Plus I'd have to buy really big clothes for her and she would look even more odd. Haha..! I'll be a pro at getting it on and off before too long! So life has carried on fine, she sits on the floor happily and I can fit her in her highchair. No more exersaucer or jolly jumper but oh well...... And she loves her baths without it on, has a good kick around! |