When I first saw Erin in the double hip spica back in October I didn’t believe that she would be able to move. The cast went from above her belly button and down to her ankles. The double spica cast has been referred to as concrete trousers which is a description I don’t like but visually tells a story. However, I had also read about many a hip dysplasia baby crawling in their spica casts.
The nurses and plaster technicians told me the point of the bar across the legs was to strengthen the frame as the older ones (like Erin) will soon be moving in it and the cast could crack.
I doubted them!
There was no way my little girl would be able to move about with that weighing her down.
Wrong.
A short video of a hip dysplasia baby crawling
In fact in this third spica she is getting a little too confident. She tries to stand and pull herself up, which leaves me terrified, but I guess it just shows the instinct is to move. She is wearing out the knees and the bar joint! I wanted to share this clip, to show that children are children no matter what they face. They love being tickled, chased and kissed!
In 9 days, we have this cast taken off. I can’t believe that we are actually in week 16, I imagined the time going so slowly, that I wouldn’t know how to fill our days. However it hasn’t been like that, I have really enjoyed being at home with Erin. I now dread the thought of returning to work in September. I think after all we have been through together I am going to miss her company so much. So now I am counting down the days left in spica but also anxious for what is yet to come. It’s not the end but it is the end of stage 1! I know Erin will continue to amaze us all and take stage 2 which is a salter osteotomy (6-10 weeks out of spica, building up muscle tone again) and stage 3 (operation and spica cast again) in her stride.
** Erin was in a double spica cast for 24 weeks, she was a late diagnosed case at 20 months old and had a closed reduction at 22 months. This included 18 weeks in spica cast, she then had a pelvic osteotomy called a salters a few months later with a further 6 weeks in cast.
I have written many posts on hip dysplasia and you can see them all under the Hip Dyplasia category. I also have a number of videos on my Youtube Channel
16 Responses
Oh this bought tears to my eyes! Go Erin!! Love her ‘no mummy’ she sounded exactly the same as Oli! 🙂 x
Thanks Em, she is a determined, stubborn little lady, but I think that is good with what she goes through!
you made me cry!!!
erin is such a superstar, i love how you flip her with the bar!
I got Liam to come watch and he asked if she was on a skateboard!!!!!
ahh hun, you just wait! and yeh, not sure if your supposed to do that with the bar! It just becomes second nature!
That is amazing Emma she is doing so well x she is a lovely little girl x x
Thanks hun, I am so proud of her!
Brilliant! She is so determined. ‘no mummy..playing’ and she does!! Fantastic. You have a little star in Erin xxx
Thanks she is my lil star. Her determination is what stops her giving in I think – a bit like her mum in that way too!
Bless her, she is amazing and I spot the Peek a Shoe Octopus there! lol
Mich x
I happen to agree with you, she has coped marvellously.
Awww bless her, she is just so adorable. Hope everything goes well for you both. I am dreading going back to work, I will miss Eva like crazy xx
Awww bless her, she is just so adorable. Hope everything goes well for you both. I am dreading going back to work, I will miss Eva like crazy xx
work eh, lets hope for a lottery win then!
Oh wow she is absolutely wonderful. Thank you very much for linking up to the BritMums monthly round-up xxx
Thanks, I think she is rather great too!
I LOVE those giggles; so infectious and adorable. And boy can she move fast!!! Time til off even less now; Good Luck with Stage 2!