Pedatric Orthopedic (Right Hip in a 4 1/2 Mo Old)

D.

I too have a daughter that was diagnosed with a "hip click". It definitely isn't as bad as it sounds. I cried and cried when I was told. The pediatrician wasn't mine and that made it all that worse. However, Andrea's was discovered at birth and we got an appointment quickly. The orthopedic we went to only had us dress her in double diapers to help spread her legs and after 2-3 months she was fine. The worst case scenario would be the leg braces between her feet for a few months. Andrea is fine and hasn't suffered any replases....she just turned 21 about a week and a half ago. Trust me...it isn't as serious as it sounds but when we are young and the doc doesn't completely discuss it in detail it sends us into a tailspin. Good luck......and don't even give it another thought til you are able to see the ortho doc. Everything will be fine!!! J.

1 mom found this helpful

I have taken my kids to OAD Orthopedics. They have offices in Warrenville, Winfield, Carol Stream and Wheaton. I'm not sure if they handle infants, but it's worth a call. They also have a website you can check out.

http://www.oadortho.com/

I went to M&M once, the office in Downers Grove. I didn't like it because it seemed like a factory. We saw the dr. for about 5 minutes and the rest of the time we saw the physician's assistant and several nurses. My son had 2 broken elbows. I found the drs at OAD to be much more involved.

Hi D.,

Take a deep breath. It sounds worse that it is. I was born with right hip displasia over 40 years ago. Mine was a very severe case. I was in a body cast for a year, has surgery at 9 and wore special shoes til I was 12. Treatment has come a long way since then. I was the worst case scenario and really it was not bad. I do not think the surgery is performed any more because the orthopaedics do such a good job with the early treatment. The condition was found early in your daughter and that is very good. She will be fine. Good luck!

I recommend starting with WebMd just to get an initial answer to your concerns. Also, I recommend Todd Simmons. (near Golf Mill. 8901 Golf Rd, Suite 300, Des Plaines, ###-###-####.) He's an orthopaedic m.d. that we've used; receommended by our pediatrician; he treated our daughter for a fractured patella. If he doesn't treat such little ones, I'm sure you could ask whom they recommend. Also, call Children's downtown and get a specialist there.

Also, don't worry about fearing 'the worst.' Hip dysplagia isn't terminal!

Hope this helps. Hope you get an appointment with Dr. Simmons. He's great. And it's a big practice, so someone should be available.

I do not know what they do these days, but I was born with a dislocated hip. I am fine now. I was in a body cast for about 6 months until everything gew together. I am sure your child will be fine. Do not worry you are a great parent.

Whatever you do I would also suggest getting a second opinion at the Shriners' Hospital. They are in Oak Park and specialize in children's ortho problems. I was able to bring my daughter there and they were wonderful. Please contact me if you need an application. I just happened to find one while cleaning this weekend. They are free for children til their 21st birthday I think, but there is a waiting list after you send in the paperwork. Good luck.

My son was diagnosed with hip dysplasia when he was born and they found it right away because he was breech. He was put in a harness for months which was more difficult on me than it was on him...he is now 6 years old and hasn't had a problem since. I highly highly recommend the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. They have several locations but my son saw Dr. Marjetko and he is absolutely amazing. He gives it to you straight with no fluff and he takes the time to answer all of your questions...he is very highly recognized in his field. We saw 2 dr. before him that I just was not happy with and I felt blessed when we found him.

In the long run there is nothing to worry about if you correct the problem now. The harness is a piece of cake but it required me to buy new clothes because of the way that it fit. 2 piece outfits worked the best.

Good Luck! If you have anymore questions just write to me.

My daughter had congenital hip dysplasia (CHD) in both hips (moreso in one than the other) and was diagnosed about a week after birth. She's 6 1/2 years old now and doing great. We only go to the ortho now about every 18 months for check-ups.

I would push for an exam sooner than April, if at all possible. If you need an ortho recommendation, we highly recommend M&M Ortho in Naperville (Dr. Matthew Bueche). He and his staff are wonderful!

One website that can give you a ton of info and support is http://hip-baby.org. There is a ton of info on the site.

Good luck!

Did you call Children's Memorial? You can make an appt with an ortho surgeon by calling 1-800-kids-doc. I would try to get in before April, that's a long time for you to wait.

Go to Fox Valley Orthopaedic in Geneva IL. See Dr. Laura Lemke ###-###-####. They also have offices in Elgin. She is great and I would highly recommend her.

Dear D. G.,

If you are able to go online, look up all that you can and read everything that pertains to the problem your baby girl is having. What city/town are you located in? If you are in Chicago or at least nearby, there is the Shriner's Hospital that works with children with orthopedic problems of all kinds. They are located on Oak Park Avenue in Chicago. They can talk to you about your daughter specifically. Also, they work with any and all children. They only work with children with orthopedic problems. In addition, there is Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, ###-###-####. Children's specializes in all problems/illnesses/diseases, that children might have or get. I don't have Shriner's telephone number off hand, but you can get that on the internet as well. You can even go to the websites of Shriner's Hospital and Children's Memorial Hospital to get a better understanding of what each hospital does.

I do not believe that it's too late for your baby to be treated no matter what the problem is. There are some remarkable things being done in medicine today and the treatments can even be classified as miracles. I say this because my son is currently a patient at Children's Memorial. When I became aware that my son was sick, I inquired at both Shriner's and Children's. We ended up at Children's because my son's problem was not strictly orthopedic.

Get a notebook and write everything down, including the date, time and name of the person you spoke to. Always ask to repeat something you don't understand and for the correct spelling of words you are not familiar with. You will learn a lot and you will become more informed about any decisions you have to make regarding your daughter.

Good luck and take care. I'll definitely include you and your daughter in my prayers.

S.

When I was about that age my hip slipped and they wanted to put me in a cast. My mom passed on the cast but did the braces instead. I have no lasting problems and I'm fine today. Good luck to you and your princess.

My brother had the same condition when he was about three or four??? This was back in the late 70's early 80's. He wore a brace on his legs 23 hours a day for a year. He's fine with a slight limp...and I mean slight. It is barely noticeable. He's 36 now.

It will be fine.