Talipes Information and Parental Support Group

Heath's Story  

My husband (Andy) and I first heard about talipes when I had a routine scan at 28 weeks. The scanning technician said the baby's feet where turned in and this was either due to the position in the womb or was the way the feet would grow. When I went to visit my GP who had the results of the scan she said my scan was fine. I asked her about the talipes and she said it had not been mentioned in the report and said she would be surprised at this early stage if positioning was making the feet turn in because the baby still had plenty of room in the womb. I was reassured and thought nothing more of talipes.

Anyway, we were to prove the doctors wrong when Heath was born on the 8th January 1999. He had two tiny feet that turned in at right angles! Bilateral talipes. I fell in love with my boy immediately and was almost oblivious to his abnormal feet - possibly a bit of denial creeping in there. I guess the reassuring thing was that deep down I knew it could be corrected - and even before he is ready to walk.

On day three (since he was born on a Friday) I went to see the specialist. (I was still in hospital and the specialist was also at my hospital). He gave me a pamphlet about talipes and told me that Heath's feet were quite severe. He told me he would possibly need surgery when he was about 9 months old. Well, with my 3 day old son in my arms I just burst into tears hearing that news. He suggested that he could commence strapping of Heath's feet then and there or I could talk first to my husband about it - I opted to start the strapping immediately, wanting to do the best for Heath.

Heath's casts were applied below the knee. They were to be changed weekly and this was to go on for 3 months. The first week he got chaffing behind his knees and one blistered. My midwife advised me the best way to look after the wound and avoid infection. There weren't really any problems after that. The nurses put foam padding at the top of the casts and over his ankles to prevent further chaffing. His casts were changed weekly, so on the morning before the visit to the hospital I was able to peel them off and give Heath a bath - which he absolutely loved. Then when he was around 7 weeks old he started to kick the below knee casts off. So casts above the knee were applied. This wasn't nearly as bad as what I had thought it would be since the casts came to just above the knee and he was still able to kick freely. The main problem was sorting through his clothes to find out which ones would fit him as his legs were now a lot larger.

After three months the casts were finally removed for good. That was just wonderful. I really don't think Heath was bothered by it but it has been really great for us to have this time to just enjoy him how he is for now - no casts and no weekly visits to the hospital. Each day since his casts were removed we have had to stretch his feet out. I believe this is to help keep the tendons supple. I have noticed that his feet have turned inwards quite a bit again since the casting was stopped.
Anyway, on the 24 June we go to see the specialist to find out what is in store for Heath next.

Updated 6 July 1999
Our specialist has booked Heath in for surgery on 6th September 1999.   He will be eight months old then.  Both feet will be done in the same operation taking about 1½  hours per foot.  He will be in hospital for a couple of days and for two weeks he will have full length plaster of paris casts.  After two weeks we go back to the hospital to have the stitches and casts removed.  Full length lighter casts will be applied and Heath will have these on for TEN weeks.  Apparently these casts won't be changed during this time, but will be off before Christmas.  I'm not sure what will happen after that as this is enough information to deal with at the moment.  I know as the surgery day draws closer I will be curious to find out more information.  Meanwhile I am reading and rereading all the stories to somehow prepare for this time.

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