It occurs in about 1 in every 1, babies born in the U. In fact, boys are twice as likely to be born with clubfoot. Usually, a baby born with a clubfoot is otherwise healthy with no additional health problems. In a small percentage of births, it occurs as part of a more serious condition like spina bifida. Know that having clubfoot is not a painful condition for your baby.
Most of the time, clubfoot can be corrected while your child is a still a baby. Treatment should begin a week or two after birth. Correction methods vary from manual foot manipulation over time to surgically fixing the foot. There is a high success rate for treating clubfoot. After correction, your child should be able to participate in a variety of physical activities and lead a normal life.
Children who do not get treatment for clubfoot will not be able to walk normally. Their foot or feet will remain deformed. The symptoms of clubfoot vary but are easy to identify by a medical professional. Clubfoot could be more difficult to spot if you are a first-time parent and if the condition is not severe. Doctors are not sure what causes clubfoot. There is some evidence to suggest that there is a genetic link.
This means it seems to run in families. Also, if you already have one child born with clubfoot, your next child has a greater risk of also having clubfoot. There is also research to suggest clubfoot is more common in babies whose mothers smoked or used recreational drugs street drugs during pregnancy. This is especially true if there is already a family history of clubfoot.
Plus, there could be a link between low amniotic fluid and clubfoot. Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds a baby in the womb. If you are pregnant and have a family history of clubfoot, you may want to meet with a genetic counselor. He or she will be able to tell you more about the chances that your baby will have clubfoot.
Your child may require two different shoe sizes. The affected leg may be slightly smaller and the calf may be less muscular than their other leg. While clubfoot responds well to treatment, it does not get better on its own. If left untreated, clubfoot will become worse with age and make it hard for your child to walk. Therefore, early treatment and following the bracing program closely are very important.
For Patients. Contact the Lower Extremity Program International How is clubfoot diagnosed? American Volume. Ganesan B, et al. Ponseti method in the management of clubfoot under 2 years of age: A systematic review. PLOS One. Congenital clubfoot child. Rochester, Minn. Pavone V, et al. The etiology of idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus: A systematic review. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research.
Chand S, et al. Relapse following use of Ponseti method in idiopathic clubfoot. Journal of Children's Orthopaedics. Giesberts RB, et al. Influence of cast change interval in the Ponseti method: A systematic review.
It used to be fixed with surgery. But now, doctors use a series of casts, gentle movements and stretches of the foot, and a brace to slowly move the foot into the right position— this is called the Ponseti method. A baby with clubfoot will be treated by an orthopedic surgeon a doctor who focuses on conditions of the bones, muscles, and joints who has been trained in the Ponseti method. If your baby has a clubfoot, make sure that your orthopedic surgeon has had this training.
A child will wear the brace all the time for about 3 months, and then only at night or during naps for a few years. Most kids adapt well to wearing the brace, though it can take them a day or two to get used to it. Permanently fixing a clubfoot can take several years. But a clubfoot that isn't corrected can cause physical and emotional problems. By following the orthopedic surgeon's treatment plan, you can help make sure that your child will be able to walk, run, and play without pain. Consider yourself a partner in your child's care.
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