My neighbor's husband was born with a club foot and he is a tri-athlete. Her son had it as well and he is a happy, healthy little dude.
Here is a Link to his blog. If you would like I could hook you up with his wife Erin, she is awesome and would be willing to talk to you about anything.
Post by chickenlittle on Sept 18, 2014 18:46:34 GMT -5
Just chiming in to say I'm sorry you got unexpected news today. It sounds like you have a good plan of care and a great outcome ahead, but it's always hard when your vision of what you expect and hope for is changed and it's out of your control. (hug)
My neighbor's husband was born with a club foot and he is a tri-athlete. Her son had it as well and he is a happy, healthy little dude.
Here is a Link to his blog. If you would like I could hook you up with his wife Erin, she is awesome and would be willing to talk to you about anything.
Off topic but that's so cool! He is active in some of the Facebook support groups and seems like an awesome guy.
Post by CajunShrimp on Sept 18, 2014 19:04:53 GMT -5
That blog is great! There is a really cool video of the doctor who developed the method that is most commonly used now (and that is used at Children's Hospital by us).
I can't thank you all enough. I feel a million times better.
Post by compassrose on Sept 18, 2014 19:08:30 GMT -5
Congratulations on your baby boy! Please, please, don't listen to your mom. You've done nothing wrong. And a serious bacterial infection could have had serious consequences for a growing fetus.
I don't have a story to share, but it sounds like, from everyone else, your boy will have a few hurdles at the start, but he's still a perfect baby and will be able to run and jump and play like any other kid in time.
Post by Smallstar on Sept 18, 2014 19:44:35 GMT -5
Another clubfoot mom chiming in! I have a 2 year old boy who was born with unilateral (right) clubfoot. Take your time to process the news and then start to research your options. The biggest thing is finding a great doctor who specializes in treating clubfoot, because poor treatment can cause issues down the road. We were pretty lucky that our son had a fairly mild case (3 casts-very rare, no tenotomy) and he adjusted to the casts and the brace really easily. At this point, unless you knew us when he was a newborn, you wouldn't know that there was ever a problem.
I second the advice to find the parent groups on facebook because there are a ton of parents out there who can provide advice through every step of the process. Clubfoot is Treatable seems to be the busiest of the groups with posters from all over the world, so you can usually get an answer to any question imaginable within a few minutes. There are some crazies on there and clubfoot parents seem to have their own weird version of mommy wars, but overall they can be pretty helpful. :-) Good luck!
Post by Captain Serious on Sept 18, 2014 19:57:02 GMT -5
I'm so sorry for your bad news. There is a cycle that mothers typically go through when coming to grips with any special needs their children may have, and self blame is one of the first steps. Please know that there is absolutely nothing you could have done differently to have prevented this.
Take some time to adjust to the news, and please be kind to yourself. While it's disappointing that your child may face some difficulties through done of his early life and his treatment may affect some of your hopes for him, try to stay focused on the more complete picture: you are about to have a new son, who had a very rich and promising life ahead. Try to remember that this won't change anything about how his life may turn out and is just a small detail in the larger picture of who he will be.
Lots of love and his and support to you, as you adjust to this news.
Post by leancuisine on Sept 18, 2014 20:16:29 GMT -5
My friend had a baby this January that had a club foot (it was detected in an ultrasound as well). He does have to wear some corrective footwear but other wise he is just fine. I am not entirely sure how long he has to wear the brace. I know it is scary to hear that your baby may have a problem, but it is definitely correctable and will not be a life long issue!
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 have also found both of those Amsterdam descriptions helpful.
To piggyback on them, once you are parenting (or maybe even throughout your pregnancy), you will likely hear the accursed, "God gives special children to special parents"/"God doesn't give us more than we can handle," or something about how you are so special because of how you are parenting your son. I struggled for a long time to figure out why that bothered me, but when i did and then came across this response, it seemed to sum up my feelings perfectly: www.ellenstumbo.com/son-doesnt-make-special-kind-person/.
Post by leshoequeen on Sept 18, 2014 22:01:38 GMT -5
This is different but similar. My baby has scoliosis - diagnosed at six months. She has worn a cast on her torso from eight months to now - over two years old (new cast every 8 weeks). Little kids are so resilient. While you might think it will be awful, your baby will adapt and not hardly know the difference.
I would highly recommend a Shriners hospital. Their orthos are top notch. I firmly believe in seeing a pediatric ortho who specializes in the particular area if you can. Feel free to pm me.
I'm so sorry you're going through this during pregnancy. I'm sure it's so stressful.
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.
I still love your obsession with ice skating (heart)
Your mom's comment sounds like a comment my mom would make. She wants to be helpful but often says something that is unintentionally insensitive and hurtful. Please don't worry about the antibiotics. They were safe for your son, and much better for both of you than the alternative of leaving the bite untreated.
I hope all the stories here are helping you feel more at peace.
I'm glad so many were able to share stories and ease your mind. The blame game is one I know well. It's easy for me to tell you it's not your fault but I know it's hard for you to believe. We are always hardest on ourselves.
Knowledge is power and now you get a head start on finding the best doctor and best plan of action. You'll be ready for him!