Hand & Foot Abnormalities Support Group

So, this post was a while ago and I don't know if you've gotten many other replies...but I was born with Clubfeet. There really isn't much out there (although, there is more than when I was born. and there are more websites for parent of newborns w/ cf than for teenagers w/ it.)

I'd be happy to help if you need any. I'm sure my mom can answer anything I can't.

I just found out that my baby has clubbed feet... I'm only 5m6d but I'm finding great info online and my dr is getting me in touch with a pediatric surgeon locally and getting me started on a plan of action. This by no means, means that I'm not scared. I'm so terrified

Please find a trained Ponseti clinician for the treatment of clubfoot. Their is no surgery involved. Please for you and your child's future.

http://six-feet.com/Pick-a-ponseti...

I would be happy to share our success story with anyone dealing with this. We found out at our ultrasound as well. Please do not let them cut on your baby's feet. Contact me.

I was born with club feet, and just started a support group on here (club feet) I would love to share my story with you, if you would like and would like to hear more of yours. If you have any questions feel free to ask....I am now a 28 year old stay at home mom of 2...I am in need of ankle replacements right now..

I was born with what is now commonly referred to as club foot, I formed in an odd position in the womb and my feet were formed turning inwards. I've had 2 or 3 surgeries throughout the years to straighten my feet and I only occasionally see my right foot turn inwards.

Don't let the doctors fob you off with the excuse of "they'll grow out and straighten themselves", nine times out of ten they don't as the child adapts to having club feet and walk to compensate it. The condition can be straightened out very easily when they're an infant and still growing, it gets harder as they get older and virtually impossible after age 14 or so.

i can vouch for that. I had surgury on both feet. 1 worked like a charm. 1 didn't. After a series of operations lasting until age 10 they finally gave up. I still have a club foot on the left. Not as severe as it was at birth. Each surgury it git a bit better. But severe enough to require a speciaaly made shoe and a lot of scar tissue.

I read the post of all the surgeries. I am so sorry. This is why we did the Ponseti treatment for clubfoot. The man is almost 100 and is still treating babies in Iowa. It was alot of traveling but well worth it. My child will never have a surgery, the only thing that they did was nick his achillies tendon. The man is a true hero. God Bless,
Becca

Please feel free to contact me via message if you have any questions about this treatment.

What some sites will not explain to you is the failure rate of the Ponsetti Method, Sometimes it does not work. My son was a rare case. When applying the Ponsetti Method to a child with Spina Bifida there is usually are relapse within the first two years. Emmett had the casting method repeatedly, then the bar and shoes were applied. Because of the size of his feet, I was required to tighten the laces quite snug, unfortunately, as well due to the skin makeup of his feet, he blisters and scars more easily than a normal child. So the bar and shoes had to be removed.

Emmett had the achilles tendon nicked, and at close to a year the casts were removed, I performed physio to keep the tendon stretched, but this did not hold the foot in place. His left foot relapsed and we are now waiting on a rescheduling for surgery reverse tenotomy (sp?) on this foot.

Becca :) IT's great that your daughter may never need surgery. That is an incredible relief. Joyce, I hope you have the same sort of success. Please follow Becca's link there is a list there of Dr's endorsed to perfom the Method by Dr. Ponsetti himself.

Good luck, and take care.

I have to agree with Charlala, Ponsetti method doesn't always help all cases. It is unrealistic to expect that all children can avoid surgery. I have a two year old who is facing surgery for clubfoot that keeps relapsing because sometimes they are just stubborn cases. I have dealt with a few different doctors and also realize that pediatric orthopedic departments are understaffed and frankly most are treating a wide geographic swath which basically amounts to too few docs to too many cases. Also you may live in an area where the pediatric orthopedists don't specialize in clubfoot but do treat it successfully. Due to economic and insurance factors you might not be able to just pick up and travel to Iowa or to a nearby ponsetti approved doctor. I do think this is the best outlook for a child with clubfoot but not always possible. As mothers we want to make sure that our children recieve the best care possible, and we do, but choice of doctors can be slim and resources limited. In those cases just keep in mind we live in the richest country in the world with the best healthcare even at it's worst. Good luck to everyone!