One "Hip" Momma

October 1, 2008

I love this old picture of Jackjack .... pre-diagnosis, operations, casts, braces ... the unknown.

This week has been one that I wish I could restart, just to be properly prepared. This week is hard. It started with such happy optimisim & now I just want to go back to Sunday. Since having his hip spica cast removed on Monday Jackjack is not doing so well. He is in an incredible amount of pain & I'm not entirely sure how to help him anymore. I have tried everything a Mother knows & have finally placed "the" call to our Nurse. We were warned that he would be in a "bit of pain" but to give him some tylenol & he'd be fine .... "a wee bit stiff" .... but it will pass in a couple of days. Something is not right. I cannot remove his brace to change his diaper, gently rub cream on his poor dry legs or even touch his skin without him screaming in pain & the 3 short baths a day I'm supposed to be giving him ..... oh my !?!

Please keep Jackjack in your prayers & thoughts today, that his hip hasn't re-dislocated & that I am able to soothe him & reduce his pain. I will try to update as soon as I can.

*Ortho just called & they want to see him as soon as he's awake .... I'll try to update later today but Hannie has tap so it may be later tonight*

Love to you all,

xoxo S

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what is developmental hip dysplasia ?

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) or congenital hip dysplasia (CDH) describes a variety of conditions in which the hip doesn't develop properly.

The hip is a "ball and socket" joint. Normally the top of the thigh bone (femur) has a round ball shape (femoral head) which fits into a cup-like socket on the pelvis (acetabulum). There are a range of developmental and congenital hip conditions that can affect babies and children.

In the mildest forms, the socket may fail to grow deep enough. In the more sever forms, the femoral head may be displaced completely out of the socket and be dislocated.

Following are terms you will become familiar with if your sweet child is diagnosed with DDH:

Subluxation - There is incomplete contact between the ball (femoral head) and cup (acetabulum) of the hip.

Dislocation - There is absolutely no contact betweeb the femoral head and acetabulum.

Instability - The hip is in the correct spot but can be moved in or out of the socket with gentle manipulation.

Teratologic Dislocation - This is an antenatal dislocation of the hip.

Hopefully, DDH will be diagnosed right after birth. Your Doctor will perform a hip check on your new baby to listen for a "click" or "clunk" as he/she moves the hip into different positions. One hip should be examined at a time, gently, with your baby relaxed. The examiner should have his/her thumb on your baby's inner thigh and the index finger around baby's hip to the back. The trick is to move the knee out to "froggy" position.

In our case, just a "twirling" of both knees was done and DDH was missed for an entire year ... by 8 different Doctors and Nurses!

When a child reaches 3 to 6 months, if the hip is dislocated it will be in a fixed position. With your little one on his/her back, lift both knees together and place those sweet feet flat on the floor. If one knee is higher/lower than the other please ask for further diagnosis.

Other signs that DDH may be present and undiagnosed are:

- uneven thigh rolls or wrinkles

- inability to "straddle sit" your hip

- fighting hip checks during well baby visits

- a slouch with sitting

- a dragging leg or a limp while walking

Depending on when DDH is diagnosed and the severity of your child's DDH determines what treatment will be used.

Please, trust your instincts, and ask for your child to be checked if you suspect DDH.