Talipes Information and Parental Support Group
Date: 30 September 1999
From: Anne Alexander walanan@spiderweb.com.au
I had had a relatively normal pregnancy, and had
worked up until I went for my 29 week checkup
(Nov 28th
1989). At which
point I found that I was in the early stages
of labour, creating a big surprise during my fortnightly check up. I had been feeling what
I thought were braxton hicks contractions but were really labour pains. I was rushed to
the Kirwin Private hospital in Townsville, where I had many scans and checkups and they
stopped the labour with a ventolin drip. At no time did anyone pick up that there were
problems with Brooke’s feet. The scans looked very snow stormish to me, I was amazed
the Doctors could read them!
11 weeks later Brooke arrived 1 week overdue on Valentines Day 1990. She was only 6lb 4oz born and looked very squashed up to me, but after 9 months in utro I felt that being squashed was probably normal.
By day two the nurses were asking me if anyone had said anything about her feet, no one had so I still was not worried or informed.
Photo: Brooke aged 2 days in hospital
By day 5 our GP had told me that Brooke would need to see an orthopedic surgeon just to check out her feet as they weren’t sitting in the best position. Brooke’s father had a better idea of what was happening, but I was left to get to know my new (first) baby. A great idea, as one of us was less stressed.
We finally drove the 140kms to Townsville, and met “Dr Gibbo”. He very quickly informed us that Brooke had bilateral talipes and that he would be applying plasters to try to correct the position of the feet weekly until possibly early April when it would be decided if she needed an operation to assist the correction further.
About an hour or so later we were
sitting in “Sizzlers” eating lunch with my inlaws and my husband in a state of
shock. Brooke had full leg plasters on both legs and was happily sleeping in her capsule
under the table! 
This was the first of our weekly trips to Townsville to have plasters put on Brooke’s legs.
Photo: Brooke at her second plaster change aged 3 weeks
In the April Brooke under went surgery, and then again in the June. I’m not sure of the order of the surgery, but the Ortho lengthened her tendons and worked on the ankle joint to free it up.
Brooke came out of her last plaster in late August when she went into boots and bars. The boots and bars only lasted until the December 1990 because we got sick of her hitting herself with them and not sleeping in 35 degree celsius heat! We then moved to the other end of Queensland and started six monthly, then yearly checkups with an ortho in Brisbane. By the time Brooke was five she was on biannual check ups. In her last visit during 1998, we mentioned that we were concerned about her left foot as it is turning again. We will be going back for a checkup later this year just to keep on top of it, it has slipped a bit but I’m sure that even if we need more surgery we’ll all survive.
There were many things that made Brooke’s first year both wonderful and stressful.
We were put in touch with two other families who also had a child with talipes. Andrew was walking and nearly toilet trained which got some practical things into reality- he was a happy healthy ‘normal’ child, who had survived all the operations well.
Sophie was only one month older than Brooke so her family were only one step a head of us, which was encouraging and helped both families through the surgery and the problems.
Being a north Queensland summer baby meant that Brooke got the double wammy of heat rash, plaster and no baths! I think this was one of the most frustrating things; not being able to really cool her down, and not being able to cover her legs at all when we went out.
Our weekly plaster soaks – which never got “soggy”- were a time for us to spend many hours, once the plasters were off, in the bath or town pool enjoying the freedom of skin before the drive to Townsville to get the next one on. I found using “Pinetarsol” in a sponge bath helped relieve the heat rash on her bottom and the very tops of her legs. (I would often trim the plaster if it was too hot and uncomfortable).
I breast fed Brooke for 11 months, which helped me feel more bonded to her as she was being poked and prodded by all and sundry. Through Nursing Mothers I also gained great support and made friends who are still my dearest friends today. Having someone to hold Brooke so I could have a hot cuppa and a whinge made the weeks ok.
Breast feeding does however produce the most wonderful yucky nappies during the first few months! Trying to be environmentally friendly I tried to use cloth nappies only to have Brooke wear technicoloured plaster for the next week! Disposable nappies were the go! The selection and costs have greatly improved over the last 9 years.
Passing a new baby to someone to hold is hard for a first time mother with a normal baby, but trying to explain how to hold the legs and the baby sometimes took the fun out of it for every one. The children at the one teacher school where my husband taught became very capable and helpful, playing with Brooke in their lunch hours and giving me a few minutes to throw washing on, or eat!
I found that a “Snuggly”
baby carrier helped me do the groceries or go for a walk with both hands free. It had an
inner pouch and an outer one that supported her legs and plaster until the last ones came
off. The “Snuggly” was able to go on the front or back and was able to be
slipped sideways for breast feeding. This gave us extra freedom and we were able to enjoy
the great outdoors at the beach or bush walking without too many hassles. 
We also had to bear the stupid insensitive comments from the general public. My favourite would have to be when I was doing the groceries one day and had Brooke in the “Snuggly”. The Checkout Assistant (male about 18 years old) decided at the top of his lungs to say “You broke your babies legs!” This really made my general feelings of frustration hit a very low point. I tried patiently to explain but he didn’t seem to want to listen, so I left in tears. Reassurance from friends and family helped but in this day and age the last thing you want people to think is you’ve hurt your own child.
I read everything I could on children who have clicky hips, or other problems that prevent natural development of rolling, and movement. We spent lots of time carrying Brooke to help keep her moving and alert. As soon as she was out of plasters we joined the Townsville “Gymbaroo” group and travelled down once a week to join in their class. We believe this really helped improve Brookes crawling and general development. It complimented her physio program and helped even out those incredibly well developed thigh muscles. Any stimulation that you can give any baby, by moving, talking to, reading, saying rhymes is of great benefit to their overall development.
Now 9 years later, Brooke is a beautiful girl. She is busy doing ballet (tap and jazz), piano, tennis, riding a bike and roller blading. We were told when she was first diagnosed to not stop her from doing anything (except roller blades and water skiing). We have stuck to this and she has tried what ever she wants. Last year she was told roller blading was ok by the Ortho (much to my surprise and mixed delight) so her grandparents have bought her some for her birthday.
It is worth the work, it is hard but it’s only a short period when you look at how long you have them for. Good luck to anyone else, and please write if you have any questions or ideas to share.