Talipes advice?

[mandler]

Hello - I have been posting on the prgnancy bboard for a while, but need a bit more specialist advice now. Our baby boy has been diagnosed with bilateral talipes on his 20 week scan. We had a follow up appointment yesterday which showed otherwise regular development, with another follow up in week 28. It is a shock - going from relatively carefree excitement to a world of consultants and treatment methods and statistical odds. My DH is being fab, organised and determined and very very positive about our little boy. I am being slightly more hormonal and weepy and scared about birth and other things that might be wrong...
Anyone else around who has been through this and can advise?
Thanks

[mummytosteven]

Not been through this personally but I have a good friend who has, and there are some MNetters who have recently had similar experiences. The Steps website is meant to be very good for advice/info about talipes.

My friend's little girl (similarly to you, it was clear at the 20 week scan) was regarded as having quite a severe case of bilateral talipes - (had some hip and minor knee problems in addition to the bilateral talipes) but even so managed to take her first steps by 18 months, and happily runs around/uses playground equipment like other kids her age. She was treated by the ponsetti method (lots of casts of varying dimensions), then she had a few operations (2 on 1 foot, one of the other IIRC), and now wears splints overnight/at nap times (splints are a lot less scary than they sound, just straight plastic things that go up the ankle to hold the lower leg in the right possession).

[Chugnuts]

I don't have any experience but this is the site that MTS mentioned.

Hopefully you'll get more advice soon. Good luck. xx

[mandler]

Thanks all - being much more positive now after researching the treatments and outcomes. Dinosaur so pleased that your story has a happy ending! We are getting lots of recommendations for Ponseti, and the Royal Free in Hampstead isn't too far from us. The ponseti specialist there was recommended by Steps and she has agreed to meet us in a couple of weeks to answer our many questions. We are now just so excited about meeting our little boy and doing everything we can to help him get through this.

[babalon]

Hi Mandler,
I've left you a message of the STEPS forum, I'm 'shadow' on there

Speak soon

[Blu]

Hi Mandler - congratulations on your pregnancy - please continue to enjoy your pregnancy because, truly, your little boy will be fine!
DS was diagnosed with talipes at the 20 week scan - and if you want to know how he is doing, check out this thread for his latest active antics, aged 5!
There are so many ifs and buts before a baby is born - another poster on this site was told her child had talipes and was even 9rather ridiculously) offered a termination as a result...and it turned out to be 'positional' i.e correctable by not much more than physio!

There is some slight suggestion that talipes is a 'soft marker' for other conditions when in co-incidence with other features - and a soft marker is an extremely vague, unproven suspicion. If no other 'soft markers' showed up then I am sure your baby's talipes will be uncomplicated. In the end, it is a correctable 'mechanical' issue - ane current treatment is very very successful. I have seen Dinosaur's DS tearing about - excellent testimony to the success of treatment.

I have found the STEPS website very helpful at times of treatment and decsion making, also 'Clubfoot.co.uk'.

In fact, as I say in my thread about my DS, he turned out to have a more complicated condition - but his feet were in talipes position, and his foot is now flat to the floor.

The other thing to bear in mind is that small children take very very well to medical intervention. Because DS's condition is more complicated than talipes (your baby's won't be! It's a) very rare and b) more identifiable on higher powered scans now) he had surgery, had his leg in a thigh length plaster for 10 weeks and learned to walk with a ridgid splint and a shoe raise - all without batting an eyelid. YOU will spend times with your heart in your mouth and a lump in your throat, but your little boy will sail confidently on. Enjoy your pregnancy - discuss the options, and never ever be afraid to request a second opinion if you feel you need it. And keep using MN - several MN parents have children treated for talipes.

[jackie2kids]

Hi Mandler.

Just seen this thread.

DD (now 2) had unilat tallipes and had ponsetti treatment. Although the boots and bar were a bit of a nuisance and kept coming off the treatment worked really well and her foot is now straight.

She's not quite walking yet but thats not thought to be related to Tallipes and she is getting better every day.

STEPS very helpful.