Hip Dysplasia: Living the life in spica…..

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My smallest child never ceases to amaze me; less than four weeks ago I clung to the side of her hospital cot with eyes that itched with tears watching my pale little girl undergoe a blood transfusion to slow her pounding heart rate after she underwent major surgery to correct her hip dysplasia.  Less than four weeks I lay on my sofa bed beside her cot with my eyes wide open wondering about how she and we would cope with twelve long weeks in a spica cast.  Less than four weeks ago the world seemed to be a bit of a shitty place that was bullying my baby girl who hadn’t done any thing to deserve it.

Then we hurtle back to the here and now; and I can show you a toddler who doesn’t toddle but instead uses every inch of determination to pull her healing body across the floor.  I can show you a gorgeous girl so full of life and energy that she doesn’t pause to think about the cast binding her.  I can show you a child who will make you feel better about the world.  I can show you a child who refuses to let hip dysplasia get her down.

BB’s path back to contentment has not been without assistance and as parents we have found this from Steps, a charity set up to help parents and children who suffer with hip and feet disorders.  It was Steps who arranged us a car seat and it was through Steps that we have managed to borrow an adapted chair and table for BB so she can play with her toys like little girls should.

My daughter shouldn’t have DDH, she does not fit the classic signs, she was not breech, she was not my first born, and we don’t have a medical history of hip issues.  The doctors don’t know if she was born with a dislocated hip or if something occured to weaken her hips and leave her susceptible to this condition.

STEPS Director and member of the IHDI Advisory Board, Sue Banton, said, “We don’t want to scare parents, but by putting their babies in inappropriate car seats or baby slings or by swaddling their babies in the wrong way there is a real risk of their child developing hip dysplasia”.

The International Hip DyspIasia Institute states:“Some types of baby carriers and other equipment may interfere with healthy hip positioning. Such devices include but are not limited to baby carriers, slings, wraps, pouches, car seats, exercisers, rockers, jumpers, swings, bouncers and walkers, and moulded seating items. These devices could inadvertently place hips in an unhealthy position, especially when used for extended periods of time. Any device that restrains a baby’s legs in an unhealthy position should be considered a potential risk for abnormal hip development”.

Did I do this to my daughter?

I will never know…

But I can help educate others.  If you are reading this and want to know the safest way to carry your baby in a sling or carrier, or how to position in a car please grab a cuppa and take five minutes to read this pamphlet and help me raise awareness by sharing this post where you think is appropriate.

But as for BB, you can see she is as perfect as ever…

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47 thoughts on “Hip Dysplasia: Living the life in spica…..”

  2. ahh bless her, looks like she is managing just fine….I like how she uses the bar to carry an extra doll ! She also looks like she he has really long legs…is this little girl destined to walk the catwalks one day?! x

  3. Your daughter is amazing, such a fighter and brings a tear to my eyes! Really puts things into perspective if BB can get on with it so can we! Well done Jane for highlighting a brilliant cause! xx

  5. She’s a little star! Glad she’s on the mend.

    Thanks for this. I had no idea either! Ellie is now a bit cramped on the bottom seat of our twin buggy, so I’m going to check that carefully! x

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  7. Oh my Christ that is not something which is common knowledge at all is it? I will read the pamphlet later but just for now I wanted to say… I used to disappear up my own arse wondering if Aleyna’s disability was down to something I did wrong. It can eat you up. You didn’t do anything, absolutely anything wrong. In fact If there was a Blogger mum of the year awards, you would be my No. 1 vote.
    BB looks so happy (and gorgeous) you are a third of the way in…. Wow. Keep smiling and I will help spread the word xxxxxx

  8. I love her heart leg warmers! She really is a beautiful little girl and I am glad she is managing so well. x

  9. What can I say – every word of this rings home, except the blood transfusion bit which I know was hard going for you.

    Our girls are true survivors, I just wish I kept their faith, belief and determination all of the time. They are amazing and I can’t wait for them to meet up. x

  10. Fantastic to see such a happy little girl! And to hear a mosre relaxed and happy mum. STEPS are brilliant, and it is because of their motto “we don’t take walking for granted” that I decided to have my second hip op within 6 months of my first, so that I HAD to walk, rather than attempt running, the London Marathon of 2010. It was worth every step. Hope she keeps progressing and smiling! X

  11. Kids just do whatever it takes to have fun, no matter what limitations are placed on them. It is grown-ups who struggle. Didn’t know about the transfusion that must have been so scary. Didn’t know either that dysplasia can be caused by the wrong equipment! I’ll share

  13. My special girl has a sleep system so that her legs are in a ‘correct’ position while she sleeps. So glad to see how determined and happy BB is, she really is a wonderful little girl xx

  15. She’s a great girl and will go far in life. I didn’t know about BB’s blood transfusion, I had to watch twin 2 go through this in SCBU at 3 weeks old *shudders at memory* . Sending you all lots of hugs and looking forward to seeing you in the Big Smoke soon to get wasted (must deserved) xx

  16. She’s looking so happy, despite all that she’s been through. And you have been brave through this (I know, there’s not much choice in this, but still…)
    The pamphlet is fascinating! Does that mean that Baby Bjorn potentially creates hip dysplasia?

    • Honestly I don’t know, I just think as parents we are quite unaware of what can cause ddh and it is worth spreading the word of what we can do differently with our little ones….

    • No, I think it means you need to be careful on positioning; like most things done wrong it can damage. The media is currently quoting tight swaddling as a potential risk, but again done well I am sure it is fine.

  17. I’m so pleased your daughter is doing OK.

    I think the pamphlet is a little misleading, as your previous comment has proven. Poor positioned baby wearing isn’t great in any circumstances – I’m not sure in a society such as ours where babies are not worn continuously, there is evidence the likes of using a Baby Bjorn causes DDH, it just doesn’t particularly help with their hip development in any circumstance.

    There is, however, evidence which shows that good positioned baby wearing is actually not just OK, but beneficial for the treatment of DDH. In societies where carrying a baby is the norm above using a pushchair, those that carry their babies across their bodies for example, and within particular Inuit societies, where they carry their babies in their coats, they have very few incidents of DDH at all. My daughter had DDH – not as severe as your daughter, but she required treatment none the less. Once her splint came off, she had to go through a period of ‘mild’ treatment and this included double cloth nappy wearing and we were recommended by her consultant to carry/wear her everywhere if we could. We did this (and so began our love of baby wearing which we have carried on with all 3 of our children) and we were all surprised at how quickly her hips moved to their correct positioning.

    I would hate for anyone to read the pamphlet and get put off baby wearing.

  18. This post tears me up. Sara, baby #4, 3rd girl…you’d think there would be no risk factors. But, she was breech for a while in pregnancy. Not long, but a bit. She also has a cousin with DDH. Her surgeon kind of shrugged off the cousin family connection, but it’s there. I was very insistent with baby #1 that her hips be checked thoroughly because the cousin’s case was fresh on my mind. Along comes baby #4, and I totally forget. And at 15 months, she’s found to have a completely dislocated left hip JUST LIKE HER COUSIN 9 YEARS EARLIER. I just hope this is the end of it for all of us.

    As for baby wearing – I think it’s important to get the word out. I also don’t want to discourage anyone from wearing their baby, but why spend big $$ on a crap baby bjorn when there is Boba and Ergo and so many other FABULOUS options that don’t cost much more. SPREAD THE WORD!!

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