by Lisa Web

Created on: December 06, 2009

Understanding developmental Dysplasia of the hip. Who would better understand than a mother of a small child with DDH. Maybe doctors have all the medical terms down, but you don't really understand DDH until you live with it. Here is some of our story.

My daughter was born 4 weeks premature due to IUGR and me having pneumonia. She was a first born daughter, which is one of the risk factors for DDH. She was born via c-section but not breech, another risk factor. And the last risk, family history, which we have none. So when her pediatrician came in and told us the news, that she heard a "click" in her hip and wanted her "triple diapered" until we could have her released to see an orthopedic doctor, we were heart broken. Our perfect girl, now broken. We tried to see what was wrong with her, but could only notice a difference in the length of her legs and different creases on her thighs. Very unnoticeable unless you were looking for them.

Of course, a first time mother, I broke down in tears wondering what I did to cause this. There is nothing a mother can do to cause or prevent their child from having DDH. Yes, in itself it makes you feel better, but as a mother you still ache for your child. You worry about what is going to happen, you search the Internet and see horror stories and success stories. None of these can really prepare you for what is to come. I was scared to change her diaper(s), dress her, or even give her a bath. It scared me to think that I could cause her any pain.

After 5 days in the NICU we were released and were at the pediatric orthopedic office within an hour. They did xrays and an ultrasound of her hip. Holding a 5 day old baby still during a 45 minute ultrasound is hard, but it's even harder when it's your own child. We got the news that day. She did have DDH and in both of her hips, and they were both dislocated at that time. We were sent home with an address to pick up a Pavlic Harness the following day. We went to the office to be fitted, and found out that we would need a special order extra small harness, which would take a week to arrive. So again, to our home. New parents, new to babies, new to diapers, and now new to the worry of hurting your child. What if you pulled on her leg just a bit too much while you changed her diaper? What if while giving her a bath her limp legs hit the sides of the sink? We worried constantly.

We got the harnass, the devil of velcro and material. Figuring out to put clothing under and over the harnass,

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