UCB Parents Health & Medical Advice
Clubfoot
Advice and recommendations from the UCB Parents mailing list.
This page is brought to you by UC Berkeley Parents Network
Back to Health, Medical, & Dental Advice
My sister just had a baby with a club foot. She has been to two different
orthopedists,
one recommended surgery, the other successive casts. Has anyone had
experience with
this? Can anyone tell me who would be the best doctor or practice to consult?
thanks,
Lynn (4/00)
My daughter did not have a club foot, but, at around 19 months (she'd just
started walking) her feet were turning in and our doctor recommended that
she be seen by an orthopedist. We went for the appointment with Dr.
Donald Townsend (3300 Webster, Oakland, 893-4854). He x-rayed her feet
and showed me how the bones were growing at a distinct angle. He said
that casting would correct this problem and put the casts on that same
day. I was pretty distraught because she couldn't walk anymore. However,
it was only a short while before she was toddling around in the casts and
they did not bother or slow her down at all. (Of course, she sounded like
Frankenstein coming across the floor, but, at least we knew where she was
at all times!)
We went in three times (I think) to have the casts changed. It was not
easy because they had to use a saw to take the casts off, then would put
them back on. My daughter was not very happy about that, but we survived
it. I think she wore them for about 6 months, but she's 8 now, and I
can't quite remember. On the whole, I was VERY glad we did it. Her
post-cast x-rays showed completely straight feet. Dr. Townsend commented
to me when we went in for our last visit, that many insurance companies
were no longer covering this procedure, as they deemed it "cosmetic." I
feel very fortunate that we were able to do it, since my niece suffers
from extreme "pigeon toes" and it does effect her running, so I do not
agree with the insurance company assessment of the procedure.
Good luck to your sister!
Ann (4/00)
My nephew has/had clubfoot, not too severe though. Anyway, they did
sucessive casts and it seems to be working, although at almost one year, he
still has to do the brace. I believe that surgery might have been an
option had the hard cast not worked (it was at least several months of a
hard cast before the brace), but it did. So maybe they try the cast first
and see how it goes. They live in so. cal so i can't give a recommendation
for a doc.
Hilary (4/00)
The opinions and statements expressed on this page
are those of parents who belong to the
UC Berkeley Parents Network and
should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by the
University of California, Berkeley.