Alex's Hip Dysplasia

When Alexandria was born the doctors told us that because she was breech, firstborn and a girl, she was a prime candidate for hip dysplasia (unstable or dislocated hips). When they checked out her hips they thought they heard a clunking (hips moving in and out of position) and 2 weeks later when we had an ultrasound done, we discovered that indeed her hips were dislocated.

A. is a normal hip

B. Is about what Alex has. The socket is shallow. Alex's is a bit more extream. She didn't have a socket at all and at first her hips were more like C.

C. Shallow socket with hip out of socket

D. Dislocated Hip

A week later we were up at Primary Children's Hospital having Alex fitted with a Pavlik Harness (a brace that holds the hips in a position that keeps the joint reduced. Over time, the body adapts to the correct position, and the hip joint begins normal formation).

Tyler was leaving for 6 months of firefighting in a week, we didn't have the money to pay for Hospital bills, let alone weekly doctor visits, and I was just learning how to be a mom, it was a crazy time. The biggest blessing of our lives was when a friend told us about Shriners Hospital. They specialize in orthopedic cases in children, so our doctor called and recommended us as candidates. Alex was accepted, and because of that all care from that point on was free. Alex now a patient at Shriners until her 18th birthday and any appointments, equipment or procedures are all free for us. A miracle.

For the next 4 months Alex lived a strange life. All she could wear were onsies, so all the adorable outfits I got from showers were never used. She had to stay in the harness for 23 hours a day for months, until the last one when I could take her out for 6 hour stretches during the day. She couldn't be swaddled or cuddled or have her legs pushed together in anyway. Every week we drove to SLC and had her harness readjusted and her progress checked.

Tyler was always gone but my mother in law Susan willingly drove us every week and helped me out. I couldn't have done it without her. At our last check up Alex got an x-ray. By this point I had gotten pretty good at reading ultrasounds and x-ray's of hips, and knew what we were looking for. The doctor said that things looked like they were progressing well and that she was on the right track. It didn't look as great as I was hoping, but I'm not a pro. He told us to come back in 6 months (Feb. 18th) once she was starting to stand and walk and put weight on her hips, then they would check again.

So here we are on the eve of another life changing doctor appointment. In two weeks we will be driving back to Utah and Alex will be getting another x-ray. At this point one of two things will happen........

1. Alex will be given a clean bill of health. We will be told that her hips have formed like we hoped, and she will be a normal little girl again. There is always the possibility of early arthritis or hip troubles later on in life, but nothing way out of the ordinary.

2. We will be told that the harness did not work and Alex will require further treatment. This could happen in one of 2, or both, ways.

a. The doctors will try a procedure called traction which uses strings, weights pulleys, and metal frame attached over the bed for 14 days, to stretch the tissues around the hip and allow the femoral head to move back into socket.

b. surgery, a cast worn for 3-6 months and then a brace worn for another few months along with physical therapy.

Naturally we are hoping for number 1 as our outcome, but we will learn and grow with any trial that comes our way. I am amazed that we made it through those harness days. At the time I thought life would never be normal but now that we are past it, I can hardly remember what it was like. I am grateful that it was detected so early and that we were able to receive the best care available through Shriners. They have the nicest, most genuine and caring staff I have ever met, I think all of them must be angels.
I have tried not to think about it the last 6 months, but now I can't help but dream about how wonderful the good news will be, and well, I'm just trying not to think about the other outcome.