About Me & My Support of DDH (Developmental dysplasia of the hip)

 

My Story

Thank you for visiting my website.  I have been meaning to add this page for sometime but never been 100% on what to put.  But I do want to let you know a little bit about myself and my struggles as a parent in the hope someone out there can relate.

I have 2 children, my beautiful five year old first born daughter and my cheeky little 15 month old son (he's head nappy tester in The Den!).  After the birth of my first born she was slow to develop physically, she didn't sit up or crawl for ages.  When she did finally crawl she dragged her left leg a little, I asked the HV about this and they just passed it off as weaker muscles.  By the time she learnt to walk she was nearly 18 months old and she had a very slight limp, again I visited the GP and they said nothing was wrong.  It bugged me, even though I was a first time mum I knew something wasn't right, other people had started to mention it and even her nursery were saying it was odd.  I repeatedly visited the doctors, till one day I was met by an older Doctor, he told me he was semi retired and that he was helping the surgery out as they were stretched.  He examined my daughter for all of 3 minutes and then he was on the telephone.  The next 2 weeks flew by and I did not have a clue what was going on, we went to Sheffield Children's hospital where we were told our daughter had DDH (Developmental dysplasia of the hips) less than a week later she underwent her first of many surgeries.  The first surgery was not a success and due to her age (then 20 months) she had developed strong muscles in the wrong place which were compensating for her leg being fully dislocated and her ball joint under developed.  She underwent many more surgeries........

She continues to attend her clinic but has made such progress and now enjoys ballet and running around with her friends.  The DDH journey can be tough but there is a beautiful light at the end thanks to the amazing doctors at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

 

 

What is DDH?

DDH formally CDH (congenital dislocation of the hip) 

is when the ball shaped part of the end of the thigh bone and the socket do not fit correctly together. There are varying levels of hip dysplasia, from mild to severe.

If the ball (femoral head) is not held correctly in place, the socket (acetabulum) may be more shallow than usual. Sometimes this makes the joint less stable and the ball may slide in and out of the socket. This is called a dislocatable or ‘subluxatable’ hip. If the ball loses contact with the socket and stays outside the joint it is called a dislocated hip. One or both hips may be affected.

About 1 or 2 in every 1,000 babies has a hip problem needing treatment. In fact, many more babies (about 6%) will have immature hips that will get better without treatment. With DDH, the problem persists, needing early diagnosis to help reduce the severity and length of time needed for treatment.

This condition CAN be from birth or can be developed after birth, every baby born in the UK under goers a hip stability check.

 

Myths around DDH

It is a myth that people think carrying a baby in a sling or a baby wearing cloth nappies can cause or contribute to the condition, this is simply not true. Many treatments for DDH include braces/harness or spica casts, which set the hip in a wide position to encourage new development.  There is even some evidence that thicker cloth nappies can promote healthy hip development.

For full details on DDH or to learn more you should visit the charity steps, details at the bottom of the page.

 

Giving Back

So obviously this is my story, and many parents will experience personal challenges along they way.  But after seeing my daughter miss out on her early years, by not being able to walk and play when she should have been, I really want to help raise awareness for this condition and give something back.  So thanks to the amazing talents of Lu Makes, I am selling a Lu Makes All Star in a unique print designed just for The Nappy Den to raise money for Sheffield Children's Hospital & Steps Charity who supported me and my family through this very difficult time.  Also to prove that given the very best support and information this condition can be conquered and corrected to the very best of results, those results I see every day through my daughter, which reminds me there is so much hope and happiness at the end of the DDH Journey. 

Children are so resilient though and learn to cope much better than us adults it’s amazing to see her go from strength to strength. 

Thanking ALL the staff and doctors at Sheffield Children's Hospital and Steps Charity UK, who continue to help parents and children

If you would like support on using reusable nappies whilst your child is in a cast or brace, please drop me a line.

Thank you for reading

Lorna x

 

The Children's' Hospital Charity
Sheffield Children’s doctors and nurses treat every condition imaginable, battling the most complex illnesses to save lives. They do this every day and
every day we can make a difference.needs you now more than ever. During the pandemic, the staff have still been caring for children and families
from an ever-expanding geographical area who need them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, The Children’s Hospital Charity were fundraising for a new Cancer and Leukaemia ward, Emergency Department and
Helipad. These projects are still vital and so is your support. If you can, please support this hospital today and help make these projects a reality for
the patients, families and staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.