No More Harness!

When Madison was born, the doctor who administered her newborn screen at University Hospital said her right hip was popping, that the ligaments were loose, allowing the hip joint to pop out of the socket.  This was something we were told needed some follow-up care, so when she was 6 weeks old we were able to get her in to see the radiologist for an ultrasound at Children's Hospital in Aurora.  After her ultrasound, we were immediately set up for an appointment at the specialty care office in Denver the next morning.  At that appointment, Dr. Gerg diagnosed her with hip dysplasia and he and his nurse fitted Madison with a harness.  

We were told that this form of dysplasia is most common in first born daughters who are breech.  Madison only fit one of those criteria--being a girl.  We were also told that it can be a temporary response to the maternal hormone surge that occurs during labor and delivery.  At that first appointment with Dr. Gerg he said if it was that, then by 6-8 weeks the extra hormones are normally out of the babies system and the problem would have begun to correct itself.  This wasn't the case with Madison, thus she was given a harness.  The harness was to help her legs stay in the right position (out, and up about 100 degrees) so that her hip sockets could form around the balls of her hips.  Otherwise, the socket would continue to form, but shallowly, causing more problems later, especially when she begins to walk and after.

After wearing the harness for five weeks, and ultrasounds every two weeks, Madison was finally given the green light  to lose the harness.  Dr. Gerg said her hips looked completely normal.  He said he even tried to stress the hip so it'd pop out and it didn't.  Madison healed wonderfully!

She will need another check-up at six months, then every couple of years through her teenage years to make sure that there aren't any returning issues with her hips.  In other words, just because the issue's been corrected for now, that doesn't guarantee no further problems.  Because she was born with it, she still technically has hip dysplasia and will need to be watched for future relapses (so-to-speak), but for now...hallelujah!  No more harness!