Developmental Dysplasia of The Hip

Laura's daughter Taylor was diagnosed with DDH / Developmental Dysplasia of The Hip.
It is a problem with the way that the hip joint develops.
It is usually present from birth and is more common in girls.
When the is diagnosed and treated early in a young baby, the outcome is usually excellent however if treatment is delayed, the treatment is more complex and with less chance of being successful.
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an abnormality in the hip joint that is usually present from birth.
DDH occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 babies.
It is more common in the left hip.
If DDH is not diagnosed and treated early, early arthritis of the hip joint may develop.
This causes pain and reduced movement.

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Laura's Interview:

What is DDH?
DDH is developmental dysplasia of the hip.
It's a problem with the way a baby's hip joint forms before, during, or after they're born and it causes an unstable hip In severe cases like my daughter Taylor's the hip joint can dislocate completely and/or cause trouble walking.
Taylor also had no hip socket when she was born which was why her hip was dislocated.

When did you first notice something different about your daughter Taylor?
I noticed Taylor's hip clicked when her legs were spread as I changed her nappy from just a few weeks old.
It didn't cause her any discomfort and only became obvious when she started to walk and she had a noticeable waddle/gait.

How was Taylor diagnosed with DDH?
I took her to the doctors aged about 13 months as she'd just started to walk and looked very different to most toddlers walking and I thought something wasn't right.

What treatment did Taylor receive for DDH?
Taylor had open reduction surgery and her hip socket swallowed out so her ball joint would fit in it.
She was fitted with a spica cast (a plaster cast from her chest to her ankles) for 3 months afterwards to stabilise her hip while it healed.

Will the condition have any affect on Taylor's future?
Taylor still has yearly hip checks.
She's doing really well considering her condition wasn't picked up until she was 13 months.
Hopefully her hip will stay in place now. Things look good for her and she's had no problems so far.
Had she not been treated she most likely would have ended up in a wheelchair and had to have a hip replacement operation by her time she was around 40 years old.

What advice would you give other parents/guardians of children with DDH?
It's a very scary time and I was terrified for my daughter when she was first diagnosed.
But kids really handle things so well and bounce back and Taylor did just that! She taught herself to crawl around in her cast and pull herself up into a standing position.
She just adapted really well and the advice I'd give other parents is although it's a tough time you'll get through its and your child will walk normally again eventually which is the goal and what keeps you going through it.