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I am 30 weeks pregnant and we found out when I was 19 weeks pregnant that our child is going to be born with club feet. There really isn't alot of information out there. I know things could be much worse and still have the possibility of being worse. Club feet have been linked to spina bifida and all of our tests came back negative but it is still so frightening. You have all the images of having a perfect child and then you get news that there is a flaw and it is tuff to here. I have had time to think it through though and I think we were chosen to have this child and that is why us. I have a 4 year old and he was perfectly normal at birth and I never thought to expect differently. I am so excited for this baby boy to be born and I want just five minutes to hold him and cuddle him before they put casts on him. That is really what I think I am going to miss with him is the softness of a baby. Other than that he is going to be here for me to love with casts and all.
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how long does he have to have the cast on? how did they tell that he was going to have clubbed feet? thats sad...but after his legs heal out of the cast, im sure he'll be fine...its like a child breaking his arm and then its all better...im sorry you have to go through this...did they tell you by looking at a sonogram?
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I am 27 years old and I had club feet. According to my mother, the are a real pain. But she still has the first cast. I would never know I had club feet but my mother does remind me.
I do have a daughter with cerebral palsy which I do believe is somehow related. I did similar casting with her but at an older age. = |
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My wife and I are in the same situation as you. It has been very difficult to get information that puts our minds at ease. We look forward to the happiness that our boy will bring our family rather than the cosmetic appearance of his feet. We hope the best for you and your family! To Heather, a postee, we found out about the clubfeet during our sonogram.
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My son was born with clib feet he is now 10 months he did the casting when he first was born and had one surgery to lengthen ligments he is going to shriners next week to have another surgery hopefully this will correct his feet you are going to love your baby so much you won't notice the flaw the club feet can be corrected enjoy your babay
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My baby is 8 months old and had a right club foot. I did not know until she was born and was so upset when they told me. She was ony 5 days old when they casted her foot. The first three months we went to the doctors each week to get recasted. The cast bothered me more then it did my baby. When she was 4 months we had surgery on her foot. She is doing great and we are now just excercising the foot.
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My nephew was born with club foot on his right foot only. The parents did not know that he had it until he was born. They casted him for a while and then he was to wear the shoes with the bar between them. I have a daughter who is 6 weeks older than my nephew and he was walking before her and to look at his feet, you would never know which one was the club foot. He was very lucky and did not need surgery, but Ill say a prayer for you and know that there is always someone out here you can talk to! :)
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hi
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My third child was born with club feet and I was devestated we found out during my first ultrasound. When he was born he was the cutest little guy crooked feet and all. He had his first set af casts put on when he was 4 days old. I cried for weeks because I felt so sorry for him and I kept wondering why me? But now he is three and he is fine he is full of energy and people who dont know about his feet dont notice anything. I hated him getting casts on because he would j ust scream the whole time. But now I realize he wasnt crying because it hurt he was crying because hes lying there with somebody holding his legs still so he couldnt move around at all. At the time it seems so bad but it went by so fast and I took lots of pictures of his feet as we went along. I didnt really want to but now Im really glad I did. We also learned at about his second set of casts that his hip was out of place which sometimes goes with club feet. So now I have this baby in casts and this stupid harness that he had to wear as well and he had to wear it 24 hrs a day it made him look like a frog. So he should of been in casts for only 6weeks but with the harness he couldnt wear the shoes so he had to stay in casts for close to 5months. But it seems like so long ago and those casts made him so strong he started rolling over at a month an a half casts and all. So be strong and hang tough cause it doesnt take long.
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i just had my 20 week check up. My doctor told me the same thing. Mine is also a boy. My doctor also told me that he has enlarged kidneys. Did you have that problem? I am very scared. She ran a bunch of blood work on me. I have an appt on next friday for an ultrasound with a specialist doctor. Please write back. Your story sounds exactaly like mine. I hope my tests come back normal.
Am abernathy05@hotmail.com = |
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hi i was born with club feet years 36 years ago yes it has affected me but i think i am now a stronger person for it . because people don't know or understand it they think it is some awful disability but i can still walk i have some pain in my feet but i grew up with it so i don't know any different. i now have 2 perfect children who both have perfect feet (althought a little large and costing me a fortune in shoes) . both my feet were affected but believe me there are worse problems a person could have so although it may seem awful now there is and will be light at the end of the tunnel just be thankful for the beautiful baby that you are going to have.
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Thank you all for sharing your stories. I posted in late January and can't wait for our boy Dylan to be born. We have met with various doctors but I feel that I know as much as they do after reading so much on the Internet. I feel that my job now is to educate the people around our family. I never really knew what club feet were until January 16th, 2006. Now it is a mission of mines to let others know. I wish you all the best with your wonderful children!
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My son Jake was born 14 years ago with severe bilateral clubbed feet. He had trhee deformities: his feet were curved, clubbed and also pointing downward. After taping his feet every other day, then weekly casts that went up and over a bent knee because he would kick them off easily due to the lack of a bend, at age 6 months Dr's gave up on casting and he wore braces until we opted for surgery. He had a full release surgery at 8 months. He has barely any calf muscles, his feet are very ugly (but he doesn't care) and they hurt yet he doesn't complain much. The Awesome thing about him is that he has worked hard and can stand on his tip-toes some. He also is a 9 time All-American wrestler, has won National Championships, State Tournaments, and Regional Tournaments. He began wrestling at age 4 and the techniques of pushing with your toes and footwork has helped him immensely. We never made a big deal about his problem and I think I only have one picture of him in taping and a few with casts. We went back to the hospital at age five for his check-up and he didn't even know why we were there. Kids attitudes toward disability are formed by parental actions. Jake was our third out of 4 kids and the only one affected with any kind of deformity. My advice? Handle what is given you in life and make the best of every situation.
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Hi,i am 33 weeks and just found out that our third baby boy has a right clubbed foot the doctor said everthing else seems fine but we are still worried we have never heard of this condition we are very scared.but every thing will be fine we have alot of faith.
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penny
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I am 22 weeks pregnant and i found out last week when i went for an ultrasound to find out the sex that my baby boy might also be born with clubbed feet but they asked me if i wanted to go to a specialist and get a second opinion to find out for sure so they are in the process of schedualing an appt for me with a specalist that is an hour away but yeah i know what you mean by there isnt a lot of info out there and i wish you the best of luck with your little boy i read on the internet somewhere that boys are more likely to get it than girls but even if they tell you that your baby might have clubbed feet by looking at the ultrasound nothing is 100% until after the baby is born because it could all just be the way he was sitting in your uterus.
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My son is 12 weeks old. I didn't know until he was born that he had clubbed feet. Soat least you have time to get used to the idea. But He was in cast for 9 weeks. And you know what your baby will still be soft and he will still be your little night time alarm clock. and9 weeks is just a grain of sand on the beach of his whole life.
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how does his feet look now cassie?
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I am 32 years old and ws born with bilateral clubbed feet and went through the casting at 4 days old and the surgeries. My parents said the hardest part was not knowing what it was then and the mulitple trips to get the casts changed I guess I was not to nice to the walls! Now I know I had it and sometimes have foot pain but I have learned to deal with it and if I didnt tell someone they would never know. Dont worry about it guys you will love your child just the same and they will do fine.
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I am 45 years old and was born with club feet. I have 4 other sibling who were not affected.
I believe at the time the doctor did the best job for me. I was treated by surgery the first being when I was 3 months old. I have 3 prefect childrean with normal feet. I am a good walker, tennis player, water skier, swimming coach and during my school years I was the captain of the sports team for 3 years. I have never let anything stop me having a go although I am very sure footed. My advice is let your babies grow with lots of and be happy with who they are. = |
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I am 45 years old and was born with club feet. I have 4 other sibling who were not affected.
I believe at the time the doctor did the best job for me. I was treated by surgery the first being when I was 3 months old. I have 3 prefect children with normal feet. I am a good walker, tennis player, water skier, swimming coach and during my school years I was the captain of the sports team for 3 years. I have never let anything stop me having a go although I am very sure footed. My advice is let your babies grow with lots of love and be happy with who they are. = |
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i am 21 and my son will be 5 in june and he was born with a left club foot. He has had 4 surgeries and been in casts and braces all his life. We just found out he has problems with his hips, it's so bad right now that he can't walk even to the bathroom. He is going in for a bone scan tomorrow morning. And he asks me why his sister who is almost 2 doesn't have to go through what he is going through. And I just don't know what to tell him..i am also 19 weeks pregnant and i wonder if this baby will have clubbed feet as well.
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hello,
how are you doing there,please mail me back i will help you out so let me know exactly what you need.mail:kye_mya@yahoo.com.i will be expecting you mail. cheers = |
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Our now 7 month old son was born with clubbed feet. We had no idea he had them until he was born. His right one has been corrected by serial casting, physical therapy and orthopaedic shoes. His left one however is being stubborn. He'll have surgery when he's nine months old. He'll be in a long leg cast for 6 weeks, then a short leg cast for another six weeks. I haven't met any other parents so far of babies w/ clubbed feet, or that have gone through this surgery. I'm kinda scared....
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My daughter was born with club feet and like you I found out at a 20 week ultra sound. I completely understand all that you are saying, from the fears of something more serious being wrong and the disappointment of having to hold a precious baby with casts. I went to Univerisity of Wis, Madison before I delivered my daughter to talk to the Dr who would be treating her and he reassured me. I'll never forget how relieved I felt after seeing him. He said take it easy get to know your baby and bring her in when she is about 2 or 3 weeks. I was surprised because everything I read said baby should be in casts immediately. The thing is by the time I finally brought her in I was ready. I wanted her feet fixed, and I couldn't wait to start casting but I honestly didn't feel like that in the hospital right after I had her. So check into this maybe it will help you to. By the way she is 7 months now and her feet look awesome, she had one small surgery and now wears the dennis browne bar!
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I just had my ultrasound yesterday with my fiance. I am 19 weeks. This is my 3rd child, his 4th, our 1st together. During the ultrasound, we were told by the technician that everything was good, healthy...and a boy. I have 2 girls and he has 1 girl and 2 boys. I just got the call from my doctor this morning that the right foot is clubbed..and the left foot "might" be. I do not know how to handle this news..our other childern are all perfectly healthy. So, my immediate reaction, was to cry (and I'm at work). So my doctor wants me to take a Level 2 ultrasound, which I have scheduled in 4 days. The next 4 days will be...crucial. She wants them to check if the left foot is also clubbed, see if the "problem" is isolated to his feet..and to make sure there are no other complications. The other stories I've read seem to have calmed me down a little. But I admit, I am still a bit distraught; and I am currently waiting for my fiance to call me so I can let him know. Any other news, info, anyone can submit, I (and my fiance) will appreciate. It helps to read others stories and be encouraged. My email is: janna319@yahoo.com
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I am the mother of a 32 year old woman who was born w/ a dislocated hip and bilateral club feet.
My own mother had two retarded children (one brain-damaged and now quite high functioning; the other Downs who died at age 5) -- so I always feared THAT as a birth defect. When I found out that Gay had club feet -- when she was born -- I thought I was LUCKY. The next five years were busy and challenging -- w/ braces for the hip; casts, 4 surgeries and assorted braces and splints -- and some tears. Gay was a very easygoing child though -- and the time flew by. She learned to walk 3 separate times -- and never looked back. I was TIRED of coping after those 5 years but I NEVER felt like I had it bad. In the list of birth defects, Gay's hip and feet were NO BIG DEAL. Today she is a bio-medical engineer -- working w/ orthopedic surgeons -- partly because of her childhood experiences. Now she is pregant -- and her second child's ultrasound showed club feet. At least I know how to support her -- but she is strong, capable and loving already. Her baby is lucky! = |
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Hi everyone, I had my baby on Jamuary 30,2006, she was born with club feet my husband and I had no idea until the day she was born. My baby girl so cute we were told about this special doctor who does casitn and she told us she has to be casted right away and it will take 6 weeks for to be in cast. I was worried for my baby the six weeks came and she is still in cast we tried to put her in her shoes with bar but she cried the whole time, The doctor told us to remove the shoes and she put her back in the cast and I m really worried because it says that if she stays in cast for more than 7 cast It will be over processing we want to go for a second opinion she had 2 surgeries but my baby is such a nice baby it bothers me more than her she kicks her feet so high but I am really worried about her can anyone tell me if your baby went through this ponsseti method of casting?
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I have an 8(in July) year old daughter, she was born with a left club foot. This wan't picked up with the ultrasounds. I was young when she was born, it was so confusing to me. I was upset because I didn't smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs, etc., but that isn't the cause of club foot. My tiny 6 pound 13 oz baby had a tiny cast put on just hours after birth, and I regret the casts. Every 5 days, at home, I would soak her leg\cast in warm water and remove it myself just to visit the doctor a couple hours later and have a new cast put on. Well, after a couple months, the doctor said that the casts aren't helping as much as we thought they would, so surgery is definately needed to strech the muscles and tendons, then to position the foot with another (larger) cast. 8 months old, she had her first surgery, I was so nervous. But when the doctor came out to the waiting room and said "the surgery went very well, you can see her in just a few minutes, she is waking up from the anstsia. and everything is great" Daddy & I went into the room and she was looking around and she was so glad to see us. a few minutes later, I held her, about an hour and a half later, we got home. I cried, I sat her down on a blanket with some toys, well, she didn't want to sit!!! She scooted over to the coffe table, grabbed on and pulled herself up. She was walking around the coffe table with a smile, it was amazing. She had another surgery to remove the pin they placed in her foot, but that was simple, she was out for less than a half hour and that went smooth. She had a surgery when she was four years old to correct the front of her foot, she had a cast from her thigh all the way down, her tips of her toes stuck out! She hopped around like a trooper!!! Kids are amazing at healing, there are truely angels. She is now in cheerleading and she also took gymnastics class last year. She dances around like her feet are a perfect 10. :-)
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I forgot to mention about the metal bar with the shoes attatched, we tried to use that for our daughter but the shoes wouldn't stay on, her left foot was really bent inward and would not stay in the shoe. But the shoes with bar attatched is usefull to some.
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...And sweetheart, you make sure you tell your doctor and everyone that you want to hold your baby as soon as the baby is born, unless their are other more serious issues, then theres no reason why you can't hold your new bundle. :-) And club foot isn't that bad at all, it's fix-able
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I was born with severely clubbed feet and had surgery 13 times. Children are resilient and recover quickly from procedures. My mother made many sacrifices to get me treatment and it was much harder on her than on me. Don't worry about your child. Get him every surgery, physical therapy, pairs of shoes that he needs, and make sure he does his exercises. He'll be fine.
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I was born with severely clubbed feet and had surgery 13 times. Children are resilient and recover quickly from procedures. My mother made many sacrifices to get me treatment and it was much harder on her than on me. Don't worry about your child. Get him every surgery, physical therapy, pairs of shoes that he needs, and make sure he does his exercises. He'll be fine. =
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My daughter , now 22 was born with very severe clubbed feet. Her castings and surgery were successful, and she is now in her 3 rd year of medical,.She is a beautiful, brilliant girl, and very athletic too.
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My daughter was born with with clubbed feet also. She is a month old now and in her fouth set of casts. We don't know if she'll need surgury or not yet but her feet look 70% better than when she was born. She had alot of other complications at birth and spent the first ten days of her life in the nicu- I didn't see or get to hold her for the first two days, so I didn't know what her feet looked like until my fiance showed me pictures. ( I was hospitalized, too.) I'll tell you what, though- at only 4 weeks old she is a tough cookie, home from the hospital, very alert, very strong, ahead of other babies developmentally(intellectually and physically), she's even trying to roll over already. She is so strong already we have our hands full. I guess I feel blessed that the least of her problems is her feet. They don't matter much in the grand scheme of things. I'm just so happy that she is healthy otherwise. I have alot of faith that her feet will turn out fine, she has one of the more severe cases, but even still.... I am head over heels in love with my daughter, I barely notice the casts when I see the rest of her, she is beautiful. We have fun decorating her casts, too.:) I hear more success stories than anything, so I'm keeping my head up.
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This is a great site.. I am 33 years old and have a right clubfoot. For me the down side to this is buying shoes. My sizes are 5 1/2 wide on my right foot and 8 on my lefy. I am the youngest of 4 and my parents would always tell me that the reason why I was the one with the clubfoot is because GOD knew that I would be the one to handle it. It makes me unique. I have had two operations, I use to wear corrective shoes, metal bar between my shoes, casts off and on for the first 4 years of my life. and braces on my legs. But I never let it stop me.... I never treated it as a handicap my parents would let me. I still don't -I work out at the gym and joined a dance class... sure I have arthritis and my foot aches most everyday.. But that is all I know... Best of Luck to everyone on this site.
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I know a boy that was born with a clubfoot. I met him when he was 12. I had known him for about a year before I even realized he's had the condition. I only noticed when he was in a pair of shorts and his one leg looked a littel bit skinnier than the other one. I'm good friends with his big sister nad she said thatit's never benn much of a problem for him. He just had to go for surgeries when he was younger. Today, he is a very nice looking young man. It's tough to see your kids go through these kind of things though. My son has a seizure disorder and I've had the "pleasure" of watching him get poked day after day, being drugged up, etc. You just kind of take it a day at a time. Hope everything's fine. I'm sure it will be
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umm not sure
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My daughter son was born with Club feet and we never knew it till he was born. Once he came out I thought"OMG his feet are broken. I was scared to death. He is a perfectly nornal kid who loves people and is a little boy all the way. It was very hard for him as a baby with all the test and porking him with needles then the casting. He has surgery at 6 months and he is doing fine but they keep him going to have his feet checked.
Now my daughter is pregnant with a second child and I pray this child is normal with no club feet or anything else so she could enjoy and bond more. I've looked on the web-site but I have no idea what the chances are. My son in law's mother's brother has club feet so the doctors said that is how Christopher got his, he is going to be 3 in August. Make sure the doctor knows about club feet and puts the baby in casting right away and if they really know what they are doing sometimes the child might not need surgery. My grandson's doctor wasn't very bright. Hope that helps Dixiemartin = |
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sdg
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I am just looking around to see what to do. Because my sisters babysitter is coming over so at night when she goes to bed I can ask her if she wants one.
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My name is Jaclyn and I am on the same boat as you are right now I am 20 weeks pregnant and Just found out last week at 19 weeks that my baby girl (Isabelle) may have club feet as well as microcephaly (small head) I have not been to a specialist yet but am waiting for my appointment next week. I am so scared to find out what is wrong or if anything at all is wrong with my baby girl. It is good to know that there are other women out there that I can talk to I wish the best for your baby boy and good luck!! I am going to pray for you!
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hi, i am 19 years old and 25weeks pregnant. i found out at my 20week scan that my baby will be born with a clubbed foot. it is really disheartening and scary for me as i am still really young, all my friends are having babies and they have no problems atall. the only thing that worries me really is what other people will say and do, because am sure there are really horrible people that wont think about our feelings. I also dont want my baby to be put in a cast straight away... it will be nice to spend some time without as my child will be wearing one for a long time, and it will be nice to feel normal for a short while, does anybody feel the same? or am i just young and naive
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This letter is for anybody who has, or will soon experince Clubbed Feet in your life. I am a 39 yr. old woman & in the same boat as many--- born with severe Clubbed Feet (had more than 1 variety, both feet were severely deformed) & have always had difficulty finding information about it. I have been told by many doctor's that my case was probably the worst case of Clubbed Feet they have seen. For you young mother's who are now dealing with this, don't worry, your child will be fine! Just read Caroline's (in this forum) response & take it to heart---she is exactly right!!! The only additional advice I would add is not to spoil your baby. Of course, provide the attention & love necessary but don't treat him/her any different. Allow your baby to discover his/her own ways of getting about. They are more than capable of doing anything the set their mind to. It will make him/her stronger.
My story is rather long & complicated. Or maybe I just make it long....lol. Within 2 hours of my birth, both my legs were casted. My mother went through that process every 2 weeks of having to soak the casts & making the trip to the doctor's to be re-casted. This went on for the 1st yr. of my life but the casting didn't work. From the age's of 1 yr. to 16 yrs., I had 10 operations between both my feet. I had all the orthopaedic footwear.....the shoe's & the brace's. I was so happy when I got my first pair of running shoe's at the age of 9. In addition to the Clubbed Feet, I also had a naturally ocurring dislocated hip at the age of 10, which was corrected with 2 more operations. Later in life I began to experience problems with my knees, left being worse. To date I have had 3 arthroscopic operation's between both my knee's. I am holding off as long as I am able to before I get the knee replacement that I need in my left knee. I have a hole in the back of my left knee cap that is getting bigger & bigger, so eventually I will have no choice. I have been told that the problems I had with my hip & knee's are not related to my feet........but I sometime's question that. However, I also inherited the "bad knee gene" from my mother's side, so it's possible that it isn't related. Although I do experience difficulties with daily pain in one area or another, it's usually my feet that are the least affected unless I over do it. I experience more pain & discomfort with my knees. However, it is all a domino effect. But I am grateful that I am still able to walk & I feel blessed because it could have been so much worse. I am more grateful for what I am able to do rather than spending my time being miserable & bitter with what I cannot do! And as an end note, I have 3 son's who were born perfectly healthy, feet & all. I am new to this site so I am not quite sure how it works, but if there is anybody who wants to talk about this, regardless on your situation, please feel free to email me.......zeta_1967@hotmail.com (in subject bar mention Clubbed Feet plz. so I don't delete you, lol). Thank-you, Sharron = |
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I am a 45 year old man that was born with severe club feet (Both). I was in casts and braces from the time I was an infant, had multiple surgeries to correct for growth, and experienced alot of pain growing up (physical and mental). I can tell you it only made me a more determined person to succeed in life. I played sports (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, volleyball) at the Varsity level in high school and started on some very good teams. I was captain of the Varsity Baseball team and went on to play college baseball as a catcher. Obviously I had a physical handicap, and it caused problems with mostly speed and leg strength, but determination goes a long way in compensating for a physical defect. I have gone on to complete my MBA and have recently taken a position as a VP of a billion $ corporation.
The moral of the story is this.....treat your child like every other child...I never got, nor asked, for any free passes. I never viewed myself as a person with a disability. If you provide the proper care for your child at a young age and encourage them to be active and participate...everything will be fine. If anything, having this happen to me made me a more determined and strong-willed person. I wish all of you well and encourage you to not view this as anything more than a setback for your child. Everything will work out for them and they will be fine. Just be there to let them know that they aren't the only ones who have gone throught this. Its up to them to decide how they want to deal with it.....an excuse for failure or a obstacle that WILL be overcome!! GOOD LUCK Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.. dlenzen99@aol.com = |
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My son was born with a right club foot he has had six casts and now is going for surgery in a couple of day. The doctor has him in the DBB until then and he hates it and will not sleep. It has only been one night. Does it get better? Does anyone have any techniques that worked for there children to get them to sleep or do they just get used to the DBB? Also does anyone have ideas on how to get the shoes to stay on better?
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Hey,try giving your son benadryl for sleep.That was the advice our orthopedic surgeon gave us.My daughter has bilateral club feet,bilaterally dislocated hips and knees,shoulder,elbow,wrist,etc problems.She is severely affected.If anyone wants to talk email me at daddysgirl7901@yahoo.com put club feet in subject line.
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My son was just born with a right clubbed foot in April. We had no idea until he was born. After that I found out that my mom, aunt and grandpa had all been born with club foot on their right foot. Me, my sister and my two daughters were all born without it though. My son got his first cast when he was 2 days old. He was very cranky all the time when he had the casts. When he was about 8 weeks old they put the DBB on him. The doctors should have told us that the first day in the DBB would be the worst day of our life!!!! My sons knee and ankle couldn't bend well from being in casts for 8 weeks so every time he moved them he would scream out in pain. The shoes weren't broken in yet and we were still learning to put them on properly so it was like torture to our son. I held my son all day and just cried because it was so horrible. He's been in the DBB well over a month now and everything is great. They don't bother him at all. He even started rolling over this week with the DBB on!!!! I thought it would slow him down but he's a little trooper!!! If you have problems with the brace slipping off try thicker socks. That helped us at first. We couldn't get the buckle part or the shoe laces any tighter but thick socks or two pair of thinner socks helped. Now his foot has grown and he doesn't need the thicker socks though. Good luck to everyone out there.
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My baby is 7 weeks old and in treatment for club foot. I have 2 other 'normal' kids. They have to get a cast every week for 6 to 8 weeks and then they wear something called a foot abduction brace until they are about 4. She just got her brace yesterday and she is doing well. Also, many have to have their achilles tendon cut. You should look up the Ponsetti method of treatment and find a doctor that specialises in it. It is a pain, but it is the best course of treatment.
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We didn't put the first cast on until she was one week old. We have a wonderful specialist, and it is very important to get someone very experienced in the specific treatment of club feet. They do much better if you follow the strict Ponsetti treatment and not have surgery. They do cry a lot the first day of the foot brace because their legs are sensitive from beingin the cast. I used Pure Lanolin on my daughter (its what they use for breastfeeding moms in pain) and by the next day she felt a lot better. Still a little fussy, but doing okay. I also propped her up on a pillow with a rolled blanket under her knees to make her sleep more comfortably. she sleeps well that way.
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My name is Heather. I am the mother of a 10 month old child
born with club feet. I had no idea she had club feet until she was born. She has went through the Ponseti Method to correct her club feet. I am currently having trouble keeping her DBB boots on. For the past 3 months she has been kicking her right boot off just immediately after I put it on her. I have taken her numerous times to the person who fits her for her shoes. He has put extra padding in the back of her shoes, but it hasn't made a difference. She wore the shoes good when she was inactive. Since she has gotten stronger in her legs and crawling it's been impossible to keep them on. I am getting very frustrated as well as depressed over the situation. Can anyone out there please give me some advise and help? I would really appreciate it. My email address is heather4david@hotmail.com. = |
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My granddaughter Isabella just had her 1st birthday. She was born with Clubfeet. She started treatment at Shriner's hospital when she was 8 days old. Her feet look perfect now. They followed the Ponseti method. Go to yahoogroups.com, and there are groups on their you can join. The info you get is incredible !
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I am expecting my first child on Dec. 8th and we are expecting my child to have a clubbed foot. I live in the Los Angeles area and was wondering if anyone knew of any good Dr.'s out here. I plan to meet with a Dr. at Shriner's which I hear has some incredible Dr.'s but I want to meet with a few if possible.
I must say that I am very suprised to hear how common club feet are. It sounds like depending on the severity, it is very fixable. I think the name itself sound scary that what it really is. Let me know if anyone has any advice and I hope all your little one's are doing well. Have a great Thanksgiving! DOGSAM23 = |
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I am 20 weeks pregnant and just found out at my ultrasound that my baby "might" have club feet. This is my first baby and I am freaking out. The doctor's say that the problem can be corrected, but I still can't stop crying over it, thinking about it, trying to figure out what I did to make it happen. I feel so helpless and don't know what to do.
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Just get educated, and I think that will help relive your fears & stress. It is so correctable, and they babies seem to do so well with it all. The key is finding the right doctor and using the right method.
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Hi , I am guessing your child has been born by now as the dates on the replys that I see are 2005 and it is now jan 2007 . Only you know what you are goin through and how you will choose to deal with the choices in your life that you will have to make . My First born daughter was born with severe bilateral club feet . I had two other daughters that were born without a physical disabilitiy . My first child was born in 1985 , they started casting when she was a week old and had her first surgery at 4 months of age . As she grew she had difficulties with the left foot as one is usually worse than the other . As she had her major growth spurts her left foot would pull up and in and would result in more surgery untill she stopped growing in her teens . My daughter is beautiful you would not know that she went through the things that she did . Most people don't even realize that she has a slight limp but walks fine . She has some pain in her feet and back . Unless you were told or saw her feet you would have no idea . In 2005 she gave birth to her first child , a son who was diagnosed with bilateral club feet . We had a difficult time gettin him in to a specialist dealing with children ( orthapedic surgeon ) as waiting lists are long . Which suprised me as it is not as common or so they say , lol as it was 20 some odd yrs ago . He had the serial casting , and braces and had his first surgery in Nov of 2006 . Now they are suggesting that it is possable that it is mild cerebral palsy , or Idiopathic toe walking . I have mixed feelings in regards to this and will follow up with another medical opinion . I see that you have had lots of responses to your original post but if you would like to chat , i would to . All the best with the joy of raising your child .
To old battles fought and one = |
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I also have a daughter born with clubbed feet, we tried the casting but had no improvement and she had surgery when she was 4 months old. The surgery went wonderful and she is now 14 years old. We have not had to have anymore surgeries, thank god!!! We have never treated her any differently than any other child as she has a "normal" older sister and a "normal younger sister. She has been extremely successful at sports. She has played fastpitch softball(pitcher), basketball and cheerleading. She is now getting to an age though where she is embarrassed of the way her feet look. They are very small in length and very thick and she has scars. I am really not quite sure how to handle this at her age. Teenagers are tuff anyway, if anyone out there has any suggestions??????
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Dear Christi,
It's so nice to hear a success story. My son was born with one clubbed foot... his right. We are on his 8th cast and the Dr. says that the progress is "moderate". He will have his surgery at 4 months old.... he is 2 now. I hope it is successful and won't require any more surgeries throughout his life. Wish us luck and thanks for telling your story! DOGSAM23 = |
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dont worry about your babys feet my child was born with both his feet facing the sky he is now two and a half and after one year of cast's and 2 op's his feet are fine he has to have special shoes for bed but he is like any other 2 year old ,when he was born he did not have cast's on straight away he was 6 days old and when he had cast on i could still cuddle he like i did my other children, your child should be perfect no mater where his feet faces
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My five month old has one club foot. I know what you are feeling for sure but you really get used to the casts and then the boots and bar that I assume your baby will wear. My baby's doc has them wear the boots and the bar for a year. My daugter is rolling over now and thus far is not being slowed in her gross motor skills. Good luck.
Tricia = |
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Hello,
I am new here. I just found out less then 2 hours ago that my grandson is going to be born with a clubbed foot. My daughter in law is almost 5 months pregnant. What I have read here about the foot has eased my mind. We will love him. and care for him as any blessed new addition. But the ultra sound also showed a cyst on the baby. I don't even know where it is yet, as my husband told me the news and he didn't know either. The doctors are going to check and see if it is cancerous though. I guess my daughter in law had a relative with a clubbed foot, I'm guessing it's hereditary? Does anyone know of any correlation between the two? She is going to Pittsburgh for more tests soon. Thankfully, we have a Shriners hospital just blocks away from us. I was told other worries may be spina bifida. Do you think she'll have to have an amneosyntesis? I am probably here prematurely, but I'm a concerned grandma. I do feel better after reading most of the posts though. Is it best to cast the baby right away after birth? Any information will be greatly appreciated! I can be reached at bedazzled@neo.rr.com please put club foot in the subject. This is just my start of trying to gather information, and it seems like the best place so far! Sincere thanks, Tina They are going to = |
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juhj
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I am 39 years old and was born with club feet and am in a lot of pain after years of operations does anyone know any painkillers or treatments that may help me or any doctors that can help me?
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my little girs has sev club feet the left is worse. i was told when i was 20 weeks preg and like you was told it could be a sighn of other disorders. my only thing i can say is after 11 surgeries and more to come is she can walk jump of sorts!!!! the only thing she cant do yet is rideher bike but she,s only 3!!!! is take lots of pics of the feet before during and after becouse every time i look at them i see how far we have come! good luck and enjoy your special gift
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(Turnip green production is discussed in Horticultural Information Leaflet No. 16, Greens For Market.)
Turnips and rutabagas are among the most commonly grown and widely adapted root crops. They are members of the Cruciferae or mustard family and belong to the genus Brassica. Turnips are (Brassica rapa) and rutabagas are (Brassica napobrassica). The two are similar in plant size and general characteristics. Turnip leaves are usually light green, thin and hairy, while the rutabagas are bluish- green, thick and smooth. The roots of turnips generally have little or no neck and a distinct taproot, while rutabaga roots are often more elongated and have a thick, leafy neck and roots originating from the underside of the edible root as well as from the taproot. Turnips and rutabagas are cool- season crops and will make their best root growth during relatively low (40 to 60 0F) temperature growing conditions. Note: They can be grown as either a spring or fall crop; however, rutabagas require a longer growing season and should be planted as early in the season as possible. These crops are biennials which implies seed production during the second year. However, if an extended period of cool weather occurs after spring-planted turnips or rutabagas are well along in development, they may form seedstalks which renders them unsalable. Soils - A moderately deep, highly fertile soil with pH 6.0 to 6.5 is best for growing turnips and rutabagas. A soil test should be taken and lime added as needed. Varieties - Varieties differ mainly in color and shape of root. There are white- and yellow-fleshed varieties of both crops, although most turnip varieties are white-fleshed and most rutabaga varieties are yellow- fleshed. Turnips Purple Top White Globe - 58 days from seed; bright purple crown, white below the crown, 5 to 6 inches in diameter, globe; leaves dark green and cut. Just Right F1, - 35 to 40 days; white root; 7 to 8 inches in diameter; flattened globe; light green leaves that are deeply cut. Use only as a fall crop. Rutabagas American Purple Top - 90 days; deep purple crown; yellow below the crown; globe-shaped root; 5 to 6 inches in diameter with yellow flesh color; medium size, blue-green, cut leaves. Laurentian - 90 days; purple crown; light yellow below crown; globe- shaped roots 5 to 5 1/2 inches in diameter with yellow flesh; medium blue-green, cut leaves. Fertilization - Fertilizer applications should be based on soil test recommendations. A general recommendation for turnips and rutabagas is 40 to 60 lb nitrogen (N), 40 to 60 lb (P2O5) and 60 to 100 lb K2O per acre. Apply 1 to 2 lb of boron per acre either in the fertilizer or spray solubar. Planting Dates Spring Fall* Coastal Plain February 1 to April 15 August 1 to September 15 Piedmont February 15 to April 30 July 15 to September 15 Mountains March 1 to July 1 August 15 to September 15 *Note: Rutabaga must be seeded roughly 2 1/2 to 3 months before heavy frost. Stand Establishment - Multiple rows on a raised seedbed will increase production efficiency per unit of land. Seedbeds can range from 3 to 5 feet wide depending on planting and cultivating equipment. Seed should be drilled 1/2 inch deep, 4 inches in row, in rows 12 to 15 inches apart, which will result in more uniform growth and greater ease of handling at harvest. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 lb of seed per acre will be required. Thinning is not normally necessary if the planter is properly adjusted but if needed, plants should be thinned to 3 or 4 inches apart in the row. Pest Management Weeds - If cultivation is used to control weeds that emerge, it should be shallow (less than 2 inches deep). For herbicide recommendations check the latest issue of the NCCVR (North Carolina Commercial Vegetable Recommendations, AG-586) or your county Extension center. Insects - Turnip aphids, flea beetles, root maggots and wireworms are serious pests. Root maggots and wireworms attack the roots and control requires preplant applications of the proper insecticides to the soil. Aphids and flea beetles damage the tops and a spray program may be needed to control them. Diseases - Clubroot, root knot, leaf spot, white rust, white spot, anthracnose and alternaria are several disease problems. Certain insects and diseases can be controlled chemically, while others may require cultural operations. Consult the latest issue of theNCCVR (North Carolina Commercial Vegetable Recommendations, AG-586) or your county Extension center for specific recommendations. Irrigation - Turnips and rutabagas require an abundant supply of moisture to insure a high quality product. Most soils will require 1.5 inches of water every 7 to 10 days. Harvesting - Turnip roots are harvested for bunching when 2 inches in diameter. Turnip roots which will be topped are harvested when 3 inches in diameter. Rutabagas are harvested when roots are 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Turnips with tops are washed and tied in bunches of about four to six plants. Topped turnips and rutabagas for the general market are sold by either volume or weight. Topping is recommended for sales in most wholesale and retail outlets. "Topping" is the removal of the leaves from the fleshy root. The roots are commonly packed in transparent film bags for individual consumers. Storage - Storage requirements are temperatures of 32 to 35 0F and relative humidities of 90 to 95%. Yields - Good average yields of turnips are 300 cwt/acre while rutabagas will yield around 400 cwt/acre. Steps to Successful Production of Turnips and Rutabagas Find a market. (This can be difficult for rutabagas.) Select a friable, moderately deep soil. Soil test for lime, fertilizer and nematicide needs. Lime to pH 6.0 to 6.5. Choose a recommended variety. Plant in time to allow harvest for your market. Irrigate. Harvest before pithiness begins. Store at 32 to 35 0F and high humidity (90 to 95%). * For all pest management recommendations check the latest issue of the NCCVR (North Carolina Commercial Vegetable Recommendations, AG-586) or your county Extension center. ---------------------------- ---------------------------------- ------------------ Recommendation s for the use of chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact an agent of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in your county. = |
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foot ssexs chat
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Dear Dreams;
I have 3 sons, all 3 were born with bilateral clubfeet. I also have a brother in law and a nephew with clubfeet. I understand your initial fear regarding the idea of having a baby with a birth defect - I felt the same way nine years ago, believe me! The first thing I want to stress is that you do NOT have to start serial casting during those first few days. Your baby will be perfectly fine if you take him home for two to three weeks to grow, recover from birth, bond, photograph and simply love before the treatmetn starts and I highly recommend you do so. You and your baby and your family need this time, so use it, waiting a bit won't hurt a thing. My 2nd started at 2 weeks old, my 3rd started at 3 weeks old and both have beautiful feet as you can see on my website about this. Over the course of years of being a mother of 3 clubfooted children, I have put together what I think is the clubfoot sight for new parents, to answer all those questions we don't even know how to ask when faced with this deformity: what it is, how to treat it, how to cope through treatment, what about cloths and car seats and everything else!?!?! Ah! I have covered all that, and more....you would be a wise mother to deeply investigate your treatment options before you submit to any treatments beginning, as there is a lot of out-dated treatment methods still on the market that can easily do more harm than good (My first son suffered this). Typical treatment has a 50% surgical rate; the Ponseti Method has a 5% surgical rate - but a lot of doctors claim to use the Ponseti method are just cheap immitations, you really have to be careful to get the right treatment to avoid surgery. I hope I can help you find the information you are looking for as I also have links to several other clubfoot related sites for parents to view. Your child has a 95% chance of a complete, non-surgical correction that will give him perfect, normal feet for life if you pick your doctor wisely. (I can lead you to doctors on my site as well, also, questions you should ask, warning signs to avoid, etc. to avoid surgical corrections later on!) clubfoot ain't no thang if you know what to do before some doctor screws it up for you. Best of luck to you and your new baby! shawnee http://six-feet.com = |
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help im bored
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hey
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I have a 5 year old daughter who was born with bi-lateral club feet. After her first surgery our doctor who has seen 1000s of cases said on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst she was a 9!!!! There are what we now consider "minor" concerns that we still have like dress shoes, even tennis shoes sometimes hurting her feet, and her feet fall asleep alot. She is a healty, smart beautiful child, who stays in flip flops are barefoot most of the time. She will play soccer this year and she is I must say as fast as her little friends (that will not always be the case!!) All in all she is fine, and just remined yourself over and over that they are perfect. Not what "society" considereds perfect but they are created just the way they were ment to be created. God doesn't mess up and that makes them perfect. I am not saying you wont cry sometimes at night I still do for the challeges she will face, but he will be amazing jsut wait!!!!
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I have a 2 year old daughter that has been treated at Shriner's Hospital since she was 2 weeks old. She had casts and then the Dennis Brown Bar with shoes. They have been heaven sent. I recommend any child born with club foot to be rushed to Shriner's Hospital asap!
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my little girl just got her first cast on today
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I have a 9 month old that was born with severe club feet. It has been a tough road but i promise you that it will be ok my son has crawled and stood up not to far from normal time so enjoy your baby and dont worry the casts shouldnt bother your child to bad. Mine fussed the first day or two then he didnt even notice them. good luck and god bless my prayers are with you and yours
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hello there, i am 21 years old and i was born with severe club feet, it was the shock of a life time for my mother and father because like you said mum and dad had three healthy boys before me. how ever, even though it was a struggle for a long time it was well worth it my last operation was when i was seven years old and i have not had any problems since. the only way you can tell i had it is if you look real close at my feet and see the scars. i can do anything i want! so my advice my friend is not to look at this in a bad way anything that doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. smile and be happy you will still have a perfectly healthy child its just he /she will have slightly different looking feeet. don't b scared cause as my mother said, life is alway throwing these challenges at us so you just gotta throw em right back.
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I have a daughter who is about to turn 4 years old in November. Our world was rocked at 19 weeks along when we found out that she had bi-lateral clubbed feet. Fortunately we live in a big city and have great doctors. Within two weeks of her being born they put her in casts from the hips down. The hardest part was the crying and her frustrations but for the most part she did really well with them. At 8 weeks old she had surgery for Achilles heal lengthening. She then went back into casts for another 6 months getting them changed every 4 weeks. She was still a happy child but would get frustrated because she couldn't move around. She did learn to roll and move with the casts on. Nothing stood in her way because she was very determined.
When she was 7 months old they put her in the corrective shoes with the metal bar. She stayed in these until she was a year old. She learned to stand with them on and move back and forth along the couch. At a year old she went to wearing them only at night. Within 4 weeks she was walking and perfectly fine. Unless you saw her without her shoes on you wouldn't know she had clubbed feet. She just had another surgery in January of 2007 where they broke her right ankle and reset it with pins. I think it was harder on us than her. Within a week of surgery she was crawling around the house like nothing had ever happen. She stayed in a cast from the hip down for 6 weeks then spent 3 more months in a walking cast. She was a real trooper and I thank her doctor for really understanding this defect and knowing the best way to treat it. It will honestly be harder on the parents than the children but remember they just want cuddled and loved. The more confident you are in them the better they feel about themselves. My daughter can tell anyone at the age of 4 exactly what she as been through in her little life and it doesn’t bother her at all. = |
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My daughter Taylor was born 12 years ago with severe bilateral club feet. I was shocked because I had 3 ultrasounds and amnio and it was never picked up. I remember after she was born she needed to be taken to the nursery right away because of breathing problems so we didn't know any thing about her club feet until a few hours later when they finally brought her to us. The first thing we did was unwrap her and count all of her fingers and toes, what a sight! I had never seen any thing like it before and I just wrapped her back up and and cuddled her. The next day when her pediatrician came in I asked her why her feet turned in and she told me that I would need to see a specialist in a week or two to have her feet looked at. Well within an hour the orthopedic doctor was in the nursery casting her feet. I felt confused and scared. I remember all I could do was cry. Everyone wants a perfect baby! I'm kind of glad that I didn't know ahead of time because I would have dwelled on the fact that my baby had a birth defect. After she was born all I could think about was how beautiful she was and besides her feet she looked absolutely perfect. A couple of days after she was born she started to have seizures and was admitted to the nicu for 3 weeks where we later found out she had suffered a stroke. While she was in the hospital we realized that the club feet were minor compared to what was going on at time. Club feet can be fixed and this couldn't. Although she has very minor problems due to the stroke her club feet still remain a problem. She has had 5 surgeries, castings, braces and corrective shoes the problem still presists. She is now in a cast on her left foot and is getting ready to have a major surgery on her right foot. She needs to have her heel put back where it belongs, have a new arch built and have her ankle moved into position. I thought by the time she was this age we would have put all of this behind us but I now realize that this will have to followed until adulthood. She is such a trooper and the doctor is very confident that this surgery will really help. Has anyone ever dealt with the heel moving out of alignment? hers is off by 75 percent. On a happier note she excels in school, plays sports and is a dancer. I just consider this a minor set back.
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I have a 10 month old baby girl who was born with bilat clubbed feet. she is a very happy baby girl.. .at the begining is it was hard to look at her because i view her differently then a "normal" baby but you know i just had to get over it. and yes you'll get to hold your baby as much as you want if they do the ponseti method... they don't start caseing until the 5-8 day after the baby is born
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Club feet is highly correctable. It can be corrected without surgery, by casting and bracing in the first weeks after birth. If this method is unsuccesful, then surgery is the next step. Do research to find a reputable orthopedic surgeon near you.
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Bieng born with clubbed feet isn't that bad. I was born with a very mild case of clubbed feet, and guess what, it's genetic and theirs a greater chance of boys getting it than girls, even though I'm a girl. my mom was born with a severe case of clubbed feet, and she had to get surgeries, but with today's modern technologies, correcting babies with clubbed feet isn't too hard if its taken care of soon. As soon as I was born, my feet were put in casts, and whan I became a todler, I had to wear corrective shoes with a bar in the middle of the shoes for 10 hours a day. when I turned 3, i got my corrective surgery. Today I'm 18 years old and I still live with problems, but it's not so bad. I hear women are getting abortions because their baby is going to have clubbed feet. In this world today, perfection is wanted, but killing unborn babies is not the answer. Those babies are lucky that they only have clubbed feet and that it's corective. It could be worse, it could be their head. So people whinning and cryieng sayieng that their baby is giong to have clubbed feet, get over it. If the baby has clubbed feet, then that means that the mother is a carrier of the gene, or the father has it. The good thing about having a baby with clubbed feet is that the mother can have more time taking care of the child, which can creat a very special bond between the mom and the child. I know this because it brought me and my mom very close. So don't worry, it's not too bad.
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My son is 14 mos and was born with club feet, I understand what you mean by wanting to have a perfect child but trust me when I tell you that when they hand you that new baby and you hold him in your arms you will not think 2 about his feet. Gage is walking and running and climbing doing everything that the kids his age are doing.
He had casts on for about 4 months than we moved to shoes with braces that he had to wear all the time, except for bath time, he now wears them at night only. = |
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Hope all of those who have posted in the past petrified with the idea of being pregnant with babies with clubbed feet are getting through the ordeal well. In February of 1997 i gave birth to my second child and my first son. I was devastated as they handed him to me all I could cry out was "what's wrong with him." Doc said "hmmmm looks like clubbed feet. Didn't we see anything on the ultrasound?" We hadn't. He went into casts to the hips at a week of age and he screamed bloody murder the entire first week. His little feet were so swollen and bruised when we went in for cast changes. The doc we were seeing seemed uncaring that my son was in pain and that he cried day and night. After several weeks of this I QUIT!!! I left the casts off for a while to check into our options. We found Shriner's hospital in St. Louis which was a 5 hour drive. We went there for a visit and within a week they had him in surgery for a heel cord release surgery after which he went into casts again for 6 weeks. This time he tolerated the casts much better since that tendon was not so tight and his feet weren't being pulled out of what was normal for them. After the casts came off they tried the Dennis Brown shoes with the bar, but he was so strong that no matter how tight I tied them, he pulled them right off. He began walking on his first birthday and then he ran. Nothing slowed this child. At 18 months he had another surgery where they released the tendons throughout his mid feet and the heel. Casts again for 6 weeks and then he went into shoes called straight last shoes. They looked just like little tennis shoes except they were identical and either shoe could go on either foot. He wore these for years. Even not so long ago when we went for a check up and he was complaining of foot pain they put him back into these shoes. The above is about my son Bryce who is soon to turn 11 and is the best running back on his flag football team. He plays sports all the time and is a very fast runner. He does complain of foot and leg pain at times but he functions well for what he went through in his early years. With Shriner's, he has specialists who will take care of his orthopedic needs the rest of his life. In 2000 my second son was born, also with bilateral clubbed feet. When he was born, I just kinda chuckled and shook my head. It was a bitter pill, but not as terrifying as with Bryce. I now knew the routine. It went the same as my older son except Michael would not walk. He tolerated the casting much better then his brother did and he didn't mind the Dennis Brown shoes with the bar. He also had plastic braces shaped to his legs and feet from the hip down that he wore for a period of time. At the time he had his second surgery when he was 18 months old, he still would just pull up and hang on to the furniture to move around. He would not take off and walk. It was 8 weeks after his surgery and 2 weeks after he got out of his casts that he took off walking. His second surgery was our drama. After surgery while still in the hospital he spiked a high temperature. He ran almost 106 for several days and they had to split his cast open due to the swelling in his foot. One foot was swollen the other was not. Several days into this they took him back into surgery and found that he was allergic to the sutures they had used to stitch his feet. They took out the sutures and his temperature resumed to normal. An over night stay in the hospital had turned into 8 days. Another difference between Michael's surgery and Bryce's was that they ran pins through the bones that run along the feet from the big toe down in Michael's feet and they did not do that for Bryce. Michael's feet have a very normal appearance today, whereas Bryce has a huge gap between his big toe and the next toe and he also has very high arches and a large indention right near his ankle bone. I'm not sure if this is due to the lack of pin (which comes out after 6 weeks) or if Bryce has more deformity then Michael. Both boys have a difference in feet sizes. Bryce has one foot that is a size and a half smaller then the other. Michael's are less then a size difference. Anyways, Michael is almost 8 and is the starting wide receiver for his flag football team. He never complains of pain or discomfort. What I can tell you as a mother is that knowing your child is in pain and there is nothing you can do about it is the worst, most helpless feeling in the world. Something else I encountered that I hope none of you have or ever will is ... walking into Wal-Mart and minding my business pushing around my cart with my tiny new born baby sleeping in the car seat with his clean fresh new casts on when a woman walking by stops to admire the baby and instead of ooo's and ahhhh's, I got called terrible names. I remember leaving the grocery store several times in tears because of this. Some people don't think about birth defects and things like that, all they can think is abuse when they see a baby in casts. Instead of asking oh my what happened to the baby, several people automatically assumed that I dropped him or threw him or hurt him. Little did they realize that I did not hurt my child, that I was trying to help him and that I was going through my own pain because of this and t | |