I just talked to my mom and she suggested that it may be from the antibiotics I had to take after I was bitten by the cat back in July. I hung up on her. The doctors said the antibiotics were safe for the baby, but that could have been the cause. Turns out it may be my fault after all.
((HUGS)) This is NOT your fault. I'm so sorry you got bad news.
I just talked to my mom and she suggested that it may be from the antibiotics I had to take after I was bitten by the cat back in July. I hung up on her. The doctors said the antibiotics were safe for the baby, but that could have been the cause. Turns out it may be my fault after all.
Why does it have to be somebody's fault? A club foot happens because it happens and there is no sense in trying to place blame. You need to be kinder to yourself.
I think catbus 's son had this. Forgive me if I'm wrong, and/or you want me to delete.
Yes! And he's totally fine!
@cajunshrimp, I know how you feel. It's so hard to find out there's something "wrong" with your baby. Club foot, especially unilateral, is almost always idiopathic if there isn't a family history. The only causative link that's been tentatively established is to maternal smoking, which I definitely did not do.
The severity and rigidity of the foot will determine the treatment course. In our case, DS's case was fairly mild and very flexible, so he needed a series of four casts (the minimum), then twelve weeks of 23 hour/day brace wear. He did not need the tenotomy that the vast majority need (we were very lucky, but from what I know even the tenotomy is a simple outpatient procedure).
This is him at just a few days old; his left foot was the affected
The day he got his first cast, at one week old:
And the day he was fitted for his brace, at five weeks:
There were definitely challenges. I had imagined him snuggling up against me in a wrap carrier, which didn't work so well with the casts and brace. But the kid developed quite the set of leg and ab muscles from his reverse crunches with his bar.
He is now turning two in a couple weeks and still wears his brace overnight, every night. He will until he's three. But he doesn't mind his "night shoes," at least not yet.
He has hit all his gross motor milestones just fine. But yes, it's scary to know you'll have another challenge when dealing with a baby. I'm definitely not brushing that off. My thoughts are with you!
Oh, and @missy1 also has dealt with this.
Huge hugs. It looks like you have lots of positive stories to read!
Post by CajunShrimp on Sept 18, 2014 16:53:07 GMT -5
catbus I cannot thank you enough for your post. You son is adorable! I haven't smoked it 20 years, so that isn't it for me either. No drinking/drugs during pregnancy, no family history.
Post by CityLights on Sept 18, 2014 16:58:08 GMT -5
So sorry for the unexpected news.
I was born with a club foot. I had a cast and then a brace as an infant. I have never had any issues and I am perfectly fine now. Everything will be okay.
Post by feistypants on Sept 18, 2014 16:58:27 GMT -5
One of my best friends' daughter was recently born with a club foot. She was casted for two months, then they did a surgical repair. Now she wears a splint 24 hours a day until she can walk. After that, she'll wear it at night until she's 3 or 4. She's a beautiful baby and they were able to get excellent correction. Her MFM said that it's likely from how the baby was positioned in utero.
Thoughts and prayers are with you... I hope you get some good answers when you meet with Ortho.
I just talked to my mom and she suggested that it may be from the antibiotics I had to take after I was bitten by the cat back in July. I hung up on her. The doctors said the antibiotics were safe for the baby, but that could have been the cause. Turns out it may be my fault after all.
DO NOT LISTEN TO HER!! It would have been 100x's worse for you not to get treatment for the cat bite. I really REALLY doubt that taking ABX for a short course would have any effect on your baby.
Lurker finally coming out of hiding...I wanted to share my story not to get your hopes up per se but to offer commiseration. I also found out my son had unilateral clubfoot at 20 weeks, which was confirmed via ultrasound at 28 weeks. At my anatomy scan, the ultrasound tech actually told me it was "the best birth defect" you could have. Super helpful! I spent weeks after feeling devastated, wondering what I could have done differently, while also carrying what the ultrasound tech said as sort of a "you're not supposed to feel bad because other people have it worse" sentiment. It sucked. I'm happy to say that after my son was born, his clubfoot was mild enough that the treatment has been minimal...he is monitored regularly by a pedi ortho specialist, and we have to stretch his foot regularly. But at just over a year he's running around like a crazy person! I recognize that we were very lucky, and that the severity varies greatly. But I wanted to tell you, please don't beat yourself up!! The outcomes are variable and in any case, medicine has advanced enough that it is very treatable, as PP have noted. If you have any questions or need to vent, feel free to PM me. I spent way too much time during my pregnancy researching the topic.
Post by CajunShrimp on Sept 18, 2014 17:07:41 GMT -5
Using Dr. Google, the two antibiotics I took are baby safe (augmentim and ertapenem), so I hope that wasn't it.
I just can't believe my mom said that. She said "Well, it isn't familial" (so it must be the abx, obviously). She is a nurse. She should have known better.
my nephew had 2 club feet and he did the casting for 7 weeks then the special shoes w/bar for the first 2 years of his life (at night) and now his feet and gait are absolutely perfect. It is harder on the parents than the kiddos.
Using Dr. Google, the two antibiotics I took are baby safe (augmentim and ertapenem), so I hope that wasn't it.
I just can't believe my mom said that. She said "Well, it isn't familial" (so it must be the abx, obviously). She is a nurse. She should have known better.
Ugh. As PP stated, unilateral clubfoot is almost always idiopathic. This is NOT your fault.
Post by textbookcase on Sept 18, 2014 17:13:20 GMT -5
I'm so sorry. <3
Anecdote, my dad was born with two clubbed feet and while he had to have extensive casting and bracing as an infant, everything was corrected by the time he was 2 years old and he has never had any other issues with his feet.
Post by Pixiehollow on Sept 18, 2014 17:44:45 GMT -5
I know it's easier said than done - but don't be so hard in yourself. I'm so glad that so many people checked in with real world experiences.
I do not have any real world experiences but my daughter had a rare blood disorder for the first 2.5 years if her life and had to undergo so many sticks and jabs and procedures and she doesn't remember a thing!! The good news is its treatable AnD you have time to research and prepare.
Post by lolobeth802 on Sept 18, 2014 17:47:46 GMT -5
Just echoing everyone else's thoughts and I'm sorry this has happened to your little guy. But from everyone's stories, treatment sounds amazingly optimistic!
Big hugs. One of my friend's twins was born with a club foot, and he has made such wonderful progress (turned 1 last month) so far - just wanted to toss in another little positive story.
It's going to be okay, and what @missy1 said is bang on - he will be perfect no matter what.
My kid is autistic. While we just got the diagnosis in July, we've been dealing with a non-typical kid since he was born. Therapy, doctor appointments, etc. You have to adjust yourself to a new normal after he's born. It'll take some time, but you'll get there.
I can't tell you how many times I read Welcome to Holland:
From all of the stories everyone has told, it sounds like your little dude will do awesome and have no lasting effects, which is amazing!! But your first two or three years will be very different from those of your older DS, but you'll get through them and you're going to kick ass at dealing with it.
Big hugs, Cajun. Again, please don't place blame on yourself. (And sorry if this wasn't helpful. :-) )
I don't have any personal experience, but I've always remembered that Kristi Yamaguchi was born with two club feet and she went on to win Olympic gold in ice skating and she won Dancing With the Stars.