If you don't already know, Ella was born with bilateral club feet, and today we started the treatment process for her. Here are just a few facts about clubfoot, in case you are interested, it may answer a few questions.
Clubfoot has been recognized since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and the condition was independently described by Hippocrates and the Aztecs. Despite knowing about the condition for many centuries, it is still considered idiopathic, which means that its cause is unknown. (The likely factors that contribute to its development are discussed in 'Causes of Clubfoot.') The incidence of the condition varies with race, sex, and family history. Boys are twice as likely to get the disease as girls. The incidence among Caucasians is around 1 per 1,000 live births. The incidence for children who have a sibling with clubfoot is approximately 3 percent. The incidence for children who have one parent who had clubfoot is 3 to 4 percent; if both parents had it, the incidence is 15 percent. Children born with clubfoot have a higher-than-normal incidence (around 14 percent) of other genetic conditions, including Edwards Syndrome, Larsen's Syndrome, spina bifida, neural tube defects, and congenital heart defects. Approximately 40 percent of children with clubfoot will have the abnormality in both feet. Clubfoot is generally completely painless.
Ella waiting to get her casts put on
Treatment is being done at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA. Out of all things to go to U of I for it's club feet. Dr. Ponseti worked at the U and developed what is now the national "standard, accepted" treatment for club foot. It is called the Ponseti method, which is a series of castings to manipulate the foot back into placement. He is VERY well known and the clinic at the U is called the Ponseti club foot clinic. Prior to his development of his method the treatment was usually surgery and breaking the foot, often quite painful at the time of surgery and then arthritis after.
Ella's doctor is Dr. Macuende, who actually worked side by side with Dr. Ponseti until he died. So of all the places to go for this, University of Iowa is it! Her doctor is trained first hand by the doctor that developed this method of treatment. I feel very good knowing she is getting treatment at this place.
A display of the series of castings Ella will get
Ella's feet before the first casts The bottom of her foot
Dr. Macuende casting Ella. Those are other doctors from other countries that are learning the Ponseti method to use in their country.
I was to feed Ella a bottle during casting as a way to "distract" her. This was not painful to her, just annoying.
Dr. Macuende making sure the foot is aligned properly before cast dry
Ella after both legs casted.
Each time she gets a new cast they will turn the foot more and more to the proper alignment. She gets another cast this Friday, already. Each cast will be on for 5-7days and then changed until proper alignment is reached. Her doctor thinks she will need 7 casts. She may also need to have her Achilles tendon cut/stretched as well. That procedure will be done in office under local anesthesic. After ALL of the castings she will need to wear special shoes with braces so her feet don't turn back inward. The shoes will be worn for 23 hours a day, until she can bear weight, then only at night until she is 3.
So in the next couple months I will have several trips to Iowa City, tricky diaper changes and plaster flaking off all over my house!! :-)
my poor baby girl!!
