Our son never fails to surprise us. After his first day of his operation where he crawled and walked, his second day was more of a surprise and a scare! This time, he started to hop then jump. Not satisfied, he tried to run and made my wife and I run after him and stopped him. He was not supposed to run or jump for two weeks. Yet with the progress he's doing, it will not take him long before he tries to push beyond his limits and get healed immediately.
The problems we have encountered so far after the doctor removed his implants are during when we change his dressings on his wound and make him drink his medicines.
It takes us usually almost an hour in removing the tapes, bandages and putting on new ones. We usually take this long so as not to aggravate his wound. Not to mention the constant cries and pleas on not to touch his wound and not change the bandage entirely.
The medication time is also a bit of a challenge. Our son needs to drink a lot of medicines for his operation. Antibiotics, pain reliever and vitamins. Not to mention the taste of these medicines, it usually makes my wife and I creative in trying to convince him drink these. Well as long as our son will fully recover after two operations on his hip dysplasia, we'll take any hardships that will come our way.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
HIP DYSPLASIA:Post operation
Wheew! The first day after our son's hip dysplasia operation, our son gave us a scare when he stood up and started to walk, limping. What was supposed to be a 3 day rest before he can start to walk turned out to be half day only. As what he always tell us, he really is a strong boy!
He was just lying down, resting and watching Cartoons on TV in our room. Then he started to turn his body, crawled and went out of the room and was all smiles when we saw him get out of the room. After a while, he was going to the kitchen, bathroom and the dining area. Maybe he was so bored already with his activity and routine, the next thing we saw was him standing up and started walking towards me and my wife. What a sight! We were excited but at the same time scared because his wound is still fresh and the fact that the bone on his left leg still has holes in it does make it even more scarier.
But beyond the fear, we were happy that our son's hip dysplasia was truly successful. We were also proud of our son, not afraid of pushing himself. We can say that maybe 2 weeks of recovery will be too long already.
He was just lying down, resting and watching Cartoons on TV in our room. Then he started to turn his body, crawled and went out of the room and was all smiles when we saw him get out of the room. After a while, he was going to the kitchen, bathroom and the dining area. Maybe he was so bored already with his activity and routine, the next thing we saw was him standing up and started walking towards me and my wife. What a sight! We were excited but at the same time scared because his wound is still fresh and the fact that the bone on his left leg still has holes in it does make it even more scarier.
But beyond the fear, we were happy that our son's hip dysplasia was truly successful. We were also proud of our son, not afraid of pushing himself. We can say that maybe 2 weeks of recovery will be too long already.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Types of Hip Dysplasia
CONGENITAL HIP DISLOCATION (CHD)
- Malformation of hip joint that can be detected exactly after birth;
- Different features such as different length of legs and their asymmetry, uneven thigh fat folds and degraded mobility on the side which was affected;
- Runs in families, and affects more women than men as what clinical studies showed;
- Also there’s a large chance for a baby to have CHD in cases of breech position births;
- First born children are more likely to have CHD than second and third ones;
- Thorough examinations should be administered on the 2nd day of life of the baby to detect CHD.
4 TYPES OF CHD:
a.) Congenital hip dislocation - hip is already dislocated at birth.
b.) Congenital dislocatable hip - hip is in the correct place at birth, but it can dislocate completely under any kind of stress.
c.) Congenital subluxatable hip - hip can dislocate only partially under stress.
d.) Acetabular dysplasia - a situation where acetabulum (the deep cavity into which the head of the thighbone, or femur, is fitted )is shallow and causes hip instability
TYPES OF TESTS FOR DETECTION OF CHD:
1. Barlow and Orlani Test - the main principle used in both methods is moving infant’s hips in order to determine whether femoral head is able to move in and out of the hip joint. It is also effective in the newborn stage;
2. Ultrasonographic detection - diagnostic method using combinations of x-rays and computer technology. This method is effective at examination of any part of body not only hips;
3. Ultrasound Examination
4. X-ray
Prognosis of CHD if not treated shortly after birth will have the baby grow with a limp or waddling gait. Unless surgery is done a child might have difficulties in walking and experience a lot of pain.
DEVELOPMENTAL DYSPLASIA OF THE HIP (DDH)
- a modern medical term used for hip dysplasia showing that in some cases infants having normally developed hips develop hip dysplasia during the first months of life;
- Usually it happens not later than during the first year of life.
- In order to prevent the development of the disease it’s necessary to hold an examination of a newborn baby. In cases if no signs of the disease were found during the first examination, other examination when an infant is one, two, four, six, nine and 12 months old are also required. If during this examinations limited abduction is detected, it could be a trustworthy sign of DHD.
TYPES OF TESTS FOR DETECTION OF DHD:
1. Arthrography of the hip - Arthrograpy is a procedure involving multiple x rays of a joint using a fluoroscope, or a special piece of x-ray equipment which shows an immediate x-ray image. A contrast medium (in this case, a contrast iodine solution) injected into the joint area helps highlight structures of the joint. However this type of examination is not advised to use in newborn babies.
2. Radiography – The technique of producing a photographic image of an opaque specimen by the penetration of radiation such as gamma rays, x-rays, neutrons, or charged particles. When a beam of radiation is transmitted through any heterogeneous object, it is differentially absorbed, depending upon the varying thickness, density, and chemical composition of this object. It is also a term applied to a nondestructive film technique of testing the gross internal structure of any object, whether it be of the chest of a patient for evidence of tuberculosis, silicosis, heart pathology, or embedded foreign objects; of bones in case of fractures or of arthritis or other bone diseases.
However it is not effective when used in children younger than four months, because it cannot show the full picture yet
3. Ultrasonography - diagnostic imaging in which ultrasound is used to image an internal body structure or a developing fetus. It is effective in small infants, and is able to show different abnormal findings if they are present. It is usually used if physical examination detected some sort of abnormalities and in high-risk newborns.
Factors that influence the development of DHD are the same with CHD. They are family tendency, breech presentations and some orthopedic problems, such as clubfoot deformity and other congenital conditions and diseases. Obvious symptoms are infant’s legs of different length, uneven thigh folds and wider space between legs in comparison with normal children.
Developmental hip dislocation may result in even more complicated problems ending up in the development of osteoarthritis. Health problems caused by DHD are knee pain, back pain, abnormal gait and limping.
- Malformation of hip joint that can be detected exactly after birth;
- Different features such as different length of legs and their asymmetry, uneven thigh fat folds and degraded mobility on the side which was affected;
- Runs in families, and affects more women than men as what clinical studies showed;
- Also there’s a large chance for a baby to have CHD in cases of breech position births;
- First born children are more likely to have CHD than second and third ones;
- Thorough examinations should be administered on the 2nd day of life of the baby to detect CHD.
4 TYPES OF CHD:
a.) Congenital hip dislocation - hip is already dislocated at birth.
b.) Congenital dislocatable hip - hip is in the correct place at birth, but it can dislocate completely under any kind of stress.
c.) Congenital subluxatable hip - hip can dislocate only partially under stress.
d.) Acetabular dysplasia - a situation where acetabulum (the deep cavity into which the head of the thighbone, or femur, is fitted )is shallow and causes hip instability
TYPES OF TESTS FOR DETECTION OF CHD:
1. Barlow and Orlani Test - the main principle used in both methods is moving infant’s hips in order to determine whether femoral head is able to move in and out of the hip joint. It is also effective in the newborn stage;
2. Ultrasonographic detection - diagnostic method using combinations of x-rays and computer technology. This method is effective at examination of any part of body not only hips;
3. Ultrasound Examination
4. X-ray
Prognosis of CHD if not treated shortly after birth will have the baby grow with a limp or waddling gait. Unless surgery is done a child might have difficulties in walking and experience a lot of pain.
DEVELOPMENTAL DYSPLASIA OF THE HIP (DDH)
- a modern medical term used for hip dysplasia showing that in some cases infants having normally developed hips develop hip dysplasia during the first months of life;
- Usually it happens not later than during the first year of life.
- In order to prevent the development of the disease it’s necessary to hold an examination of a newborn baby. In cases if no signs of the disease were found during the first examination, other examination when an infant is one, two, four, six, nine and 12 months old are also required. If during this examinations limited abduction is detected, it could be a trustworthy sign of DHD.
TYPES OF TESTS FOR DETECTION OF DHD:
1. Arthrography of the hip - Arthrograpy is a procedure involving multiple x rays of a joint using a fluoroscope, or a special piece of x-ray equipment which shows an immediate x-ray image. A contrast medium (in this case, a contrast iodine solution) injected into the joint area helps highlight structures of the joint. However this type of examination is not advised to use in newborn babies.
2. Radiography – The technique of producing a photographic image of an opaque specimen by the penetration of radiation such as gamma rays, x-rays, neutrons, or charged particles. When a beam of radiation is transmitted through any heterogeneous object, it is differentially absorbed, depending upon the varying thickness, density, and chemical composition of this object. It is also a term applied to a nondestructive film technique of testing the gross internal structure of any object, whether it be of the chest of a patient for evidence of tuberculosis, silicosis, heart pathology, or embedded foreign objects; of bones in case of fractures or of arthritis or other bone diseases.
However it is not effective when used in children younger than four months, because it cannot show the full picture yet
3. Ultrasonography - diagnostic imaging in which ultrasound is used to image an internal body structure or a developing fetus. It is effective in small infants, and is able to show different abnormal findings if they are present. It is usually used if physical examination detected some sort of abnormalities and in high-risk newborns.
Factors that influence the development of DHD are the same with CHD. They are family tendency, breech presentations and some orthopedic problems, such as clubfoot deformity and other congenital conditions and diseases. Obvious symptoms are infant’s legs of different length, uneven thigh folds and wider space between legs in comparison with normal children.
Developmental hip dislocation may result in even more complicated problems ending up in the development of osteoarthritis. Health problems caused by DHD are knee pain, back pain, abnormal gait and limping.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
HOME SWEET HOME!
The orthopedic doctor of our son visited us the following morning after the operation. We were surprised and happy to hear that our son was allowed to go home already. We thought that they were going to require us to stay for another day but upon hearing the news, we hurriedly pack our things, settled the bill and went home immediately. Our son was getting bored of just lying down on our room and was constantly telling us that he wanted to go home and stay in his room.
He was all smiles when we arrived. He was happy to see his cousins and the kids from our neighbors. We hurriedly went inside our room, played his favorite Spongebob Square Pants cd. 2 weeks of no jumping and running so we'll stay in the room and limit the visit of other kids so he will not feel the urge to play, run and jump. The problem that we'll encounter definitely is when we clean his wounds. Upon leaving the hospital, the assigned nurse changed the bandage on his wound and he was crying because of the pain. But we survived the 2 months on his first operation,we definitely like 2 week recovery better.
He was all smiles when we arrived. He was happy to see his cousins and the kids from our neighbors. We hurriedly went inside our room, played his favorite Spongebob Square Pants cd. 2 weeks of no jumping and running so we'll stay in the room and limit the visit of other kids so he will not feel the urge to play, run and jump. The problem that we'll encounter definitely is when we clean his wounds. Upon leaving the hospital, the assigned nurse changed the bandage on his wound and he was crying because of the pain. But we survived the 2 months on his first operation,we definitely like 2 week recovery better.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
FINALLY!!!
Finally! After 15 days of constant delays, rescheduling and suspense, our son was able to undergo the final stage on his hip dysplasia, the removal of implants. We had to let our son drink milk at 4 in the morning, as the schedule of his operation was 10 a.m. Fortunately he finished it all, thus giving us lesser worries with him asking milk or food later in the morning.
He was unusually up early also but low on energy. We thought that maybe the operation was sinking in on him and we can see that he was a bit afraid already. As for me and my wife, our fear for him could not have been worse. Although the 1st operation was more serious, we can't help of not feeling helpless again, and afraid if there will be complications.
We were ready 2 hours prior to his schedule. An hour later, we let him use the nebulizer, as per advice of his pediatrician so as to make his lungs clear prior to the operation. After an hour we were on our way to the operating room where the nurses and the anesthesiologist (he was early this time for goodness sakes!) were waiting for us already. Soon we said our prayers and after our son was put to sleep, we waited in our room.
Almost 2 hours later, we received a call that the operation was done and that our son was waiting in the recovery room already. Our son was crying but still groggy from the effects of the anesthesia when we arrived. We knew he was in pain, with him wanting to touch his left leg where the implants were removed. The nurses handed to us his hip dysplasia implants and we were shocked to see how long the screws were. No wonder why it has been bothering him already. An hour later we were back to our room.
Everything went well on our stay in the hospital except when the painkillers given to our son subsides. He was eating well and importantly our son was in a good mood and playful. Occasionally, he looks at his leg and will tell us how brave and strong he is. We can't help but be proud of him and praise him for his courage and be thankful for our families and friends who supported us in our son's journey.
Now that his ordeal is almost done, the only problem will be the time when we're going to treat his wound and that he will not be allowed to run or jump for two weeks. With the energy he has at his age, that will be a problem. But for us, it's a positive problem, knowing that his journey to get rid of his hip dysplasia is almost complete.
He was unusually up early also but low on energy. We thought that maybe the operation was sinking in on him and we can see that he was a bit afraid already. As for me and my wife, our fear for him could not have been worse. Although the 1st operation was more serious, we can't help of not feeling helpless again, and afraid if there will be complications.
We were ready 2 hours prior to his schedule. An hour later, we let him use the nebulizer, as per advice of his pediatrician so as to make his lungs clear prior to the operation. After an hour we were on our way to the operating room where the nurses and the anesthesiologist (he was early this time for goodness sakes!) were waiting for us already. Soon we said our prayers and after our son was put to sleep, we waited in our room.
Almost 2 hours later, we received a call that the operation was done and that our son was waiting in the recovery room already. Our son was crying but still groggy from the effects of the anesthesia when we arrived. We knew he was in pain, with him wanting to touch his left leg where the implants were removed. The nurses handed to us his hip dysplasia implants and we were shocked to see how long the screws were. No wonder why it has been bothering him already. An hour later we were back to our room.
Everything went well on our stay in the hospital except when the painkillers given to our son subsides. He was eating well and importantly our son was in a good mood and playful. Occasionally, he looks at his leg and will tell us how brave and strong he is. We can't help but be proud of him and praise him for his courage and be thankful for our families and friends who supported us in our son's journey.
Now that his ordeal is almost done, the only problem will be the time when we're going to treat his wound and that he will not be allowed to run or jump for two weeks. With the energy he has at his age, that will be a problem. But for us, it's a positive problem, knowing that his journey to get rid of his hip dysplasia is almost complete.
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