full body cast for 6 months!!!?

[XoBLoNDiE85]

Hi....so we went to the ortho today because hannahs hips dislocate =( I was told they were going to put her in a brace but now they say they will do anthesia and put them back in (but i dont understand cause they go in and out) and then a body cast from her nipples down to keep them in place for at LEAST 6 months!!. Is that neccesary? I was thinking pop them in and brace her? What do you all think? Theres no guarantee that the casting and surgery will be successful as like everything else in life. So my thoughts r too pop them in and brace her. but tell me your honest thoughts and suggestions

[Summer25]

I had this done when I was about 3. They put my hips back and then had a cast with a bar in the middle for more then a year. Yea, that's right, a year. Does she walk? If not, then there is no reason to do it. Her hips will come right back out. If she does, then how good and is it compromising her walking with them out? Mine popped right back out as soon as the cast came off. I also had traction for about 5-6 months when I was 6 months old to see if they would go back in since I was born with them out.

[cutie patooties mom]

Gabi has a dislocated hip.

I told her doctor that I thought one leg was longer than the other and she examined her and said it was not. I knew something was not right, so I went back and asked for an x-ray. They did one and saw that her hip had been dislocated for a while.

Her doctor said that they dont like to do surgery to repair dislocated hips on children with spina bifida because it causes stiffness and they will eventually come out anyway. Does that sound right?

We are getting a new Dr now because that one is leaving.

Bronwyn

[XoBLoNDiE85]

so prob a no go right? should i just ask for the brace (soft bracethat can come off and on like Zoesmom had?

[angel]

I have been here and done this as well. I had my cast from my arms to my knees for 6 months then a brace for another 6 months. I was 8 years old. I had mine after my spinal fusion in 1985. I will be honest with you it really sucked only because my movement was limited. It is also the time i gained a great appreciation for dogs and video games (atari of course).

I think i saw everything that happened that year on TV so NO ONE can beat me on trivia for that year. And a good thing is she won't fall behind in school because it should be possible to get her a home bound teacher. I had one albiet my mom had to fight like hell for many months before my surgery to get one for me. She came to my house 2 hours a day 5 days a week and that was my second grade year.

The reason for me that the teacher was so necessary was because i failed first grade due to my club foot repair. I couldn't go to school because i couldn't walk and they didn't make accomidations then. My mom was afraid i would be 21 before i got out of school if i didn't get that teacher.

The fact of the matter is it worked!!! I know it sounds horrible but it is workable and there are plenty of ways to keep your child entertained if she should have to do this. Hips can be a real problem so if they want to fix them my advice would be to get it out of the way while she is young!!! I say this for a few reasons. One she is young and kids bounce back fast. Two she is also young and eventhough i remeber all of it in a wierd way it just doesn't seem so bad.

Angel

[angel]

I had a bar when i was a baby as well. at first with casts then made to my shoes because of my hips. From what my mom says i developed something called false hipsockets (i have no idea what that means) and i have never had a problem with my hips popping out. The only problem with that bar was it gave me a hernia. I guess i was an active baby because i got the hernia from moving my legs with this heavy bar attatched. I was less than a year old when this happened so the bar worked for me.

Angel

[XoBLoNDiE85]

ok well so far since we have researched....talked with doctors and with you guys we are going against the the surgery and body cast. Im with Gabis mom on this one. I have read a few stories on this and everyone so far has ended with there hips not staying in. I think the brace is what we are going to try. We see her ortho on monday to switch her cast for her club foot and we will go from there. One more question.....whats the reasoning behing cutting her heel cord.....should we do it? If yes is it bad/painful? Like will she scream her brains out (hannah is only 3 months old)

[cutie patooties mom]

Gabi had a heal cord release at age 4 due to a syrinx(sp?) in her spinal cord. Her heel was so tight. Her toes were in a constant point position. We tried casting and lot's of stretching for nothing. When she was in her braces, her foot wouldnt sit flat and she kept getting blisters on her heel from it rubbing the brace. She never complained after the surgery. I think they casted her until it healed. She doesnt have any feeling from the knees down, so it did not bother her. In fact, she has loved the times that she's had to wear a cast. Her orthotist made her a play cast to pretend with at home. What is Hannah's SB level? Does she have sensation in her feet?
Bronwyn

[ZoesMom]

like i said in the other reply to the other thread if they say its needed because her foot is too tight its needed. Zoe slept right through hers cause she didnt even feel it. they just go under the skin, no stiches, and then they cast it for three weeks for it to heal. its absolutely nothing compared to everything else they go through. Zoes foot is so much better after the heel cord tenotomy