Crying. Or DDH diagnosis.

Me crying, not Squeaky, though she'll join in from time to time.

I'm just SO frustrated.  At Squeaky's 8 week check (which was more like 10 weeks, because the practice nurse was away so clinic was cancelled), the doctor said her hip was a bit clicky.  So she referred her to the hospital for a scan.  Which in itself took 4 or 5 weeks to happen.  Then they wanted a follow up scan,which the radiographer said should be 4 weeks later, but was 6.  At that scan, the radiographer said that he'd write the report and we should have an appointment very soon, and if I hadn't heard from orthopaedics within a fortnight, to chase it up.  The fortnight comes, and goes.  I phone up, they have no details, in orthopaedics, or paediatrics.  So I get an appointment with my GP, now 4 weeks after the second scan, and ask her what's going on.  She finds that the hospital didn't do a referral to orthopaedics, & she needs to.  2 weeks later I get an acknowledgement letter, a week later an appointment letter, and now today, 10 weeks after the second scan, we finally get seen by the orthopaedic surgeon.

For about 2 minutes.  He does the manipulation again, says "Double nappies & I'll refer you to the paediatric orthopaedic unit in Cardiff."  That's it. Oh, there were a few coos over Her Squeakyness, but that's all.

No-one has bothered to give me any information, to give me a clear idea of what we're really dealing with, what to expect, what to do, or to avoid.  And that means I look on the internet, and the most comprehensive information I can find all suggests that because of all the stupid delays in getting to this point, treatment is more invasive, more complicated & less effective.

Here is a really useful website giving lots of information about DDH.  In my rational mind, I know we were a much increased risk.  Squeaky was breach until about 3 weeks before she was born, my mum had severe hip problems in childhood (DDH or not, we don't know, but we're talking about years in a Spica cast), I'm very double jointed, she's a first born girl.  So yeah, the risk factor was pretty high.

I just, argh, I don't want to see my beautiful girl in pain - now or later.  I don't want her to have to go through what my mum had to go through.  And I feel like it's my fault - I made her, and I can't even get that right.