Any experience with hip dysplasia in an infant?

[todzwife]

Sadie has been watched for this since she was 2 weeks old and was officially diagnosed on Monday and put in a rhino cruiser. There doesn't seem to be an abundance of information on it anywhere online and I'm curious if anyone has any experience. She's taken to it quite well and generally doesn't seem to be too bothered, but I've got some questions :)

[Simon]

I'm glad that they caught it so soon, but I'm sorry you're dealing with it. My only experience is second hand with a little girl who wasn't diagnosed until age 4 and then the treatment was much more difficult. I hope someone chimes in with more BTDT.

[nfowife]

My dd1 was born with it. She wore a pavlik harness for 8 weeks as a young infant. From your siggy I am guessing your dd is too old for a pavlik. After the pavlik was off they monitored my dd for a number of years. First very frequently and then every 6 months and finally after a year. At that point (she was 5) she was considered cured and has not had any further complications or treatment.
She did walk rather late- around 16 months old. There is a great yahoo group called hip-baby that has lots of info. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Hipbaby/info

[larig]

I was born with it myself. I wore what they called a pillowcast for 3 months and now I'm perfectly fine. No residual effects in adulthood--lucky my doctor found it. I walked later--probably around 16 months. DS had a "clicky" hip at birth and they may have been more watchful because of me, but he ended up being fine.

[cuca_]

My DD1 was also born with it. She was diagnosed at a couple of days old and wore a pavlik harness for 4 mos. At the time the condition was corrected and no further treatment was required. She was regularly monitored for a while. Now she sees her orthopedist every 6 years or so. She walked right at 12 months.

[AshleyAnn]

I have experience as I was born with it in both hips and wore a brace similar to a spica cast most of my first year. I second the rec for hip babies, I read alot there while pregnant with DD and waiting to see if she would have it too (but she didnt)

[K-Bear]

My DD was also born with it. She wore a Pavlik Harness for a few months and is perfectly fine.

[todzwife]

I'm just surprised how different treatment seems to be depending on the doctor. Ours didn't give a specific amount of time she needs to be in the rhino, just "as much as possible"...I'm shooting for 20 hours a day and that seems to be ok right now for her. I let her out to crawl around and jump in her door jumper and eat in her high chair.

[nfowife]

When my dd was in the pavlik they wanted her in it 23 hours a day. Only off for baths and big diaper changes.

[todzwife]

When my dd was in the pavlik they wanted her in it 23 hours a day. Only off for baths and big diaper changes.


I asked her ortho if she needed to be in it all the time and he didn't give me a number. He said we could take it off if we're going swimming for a few hours, or even a 4 hour trip to my parents...