When Michelle learned she was pregnant, she was referred to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida for high-risk prenatal care. From the very beginning, she felt supported by her care team. So, when her daughter, Lucy, was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 6 weeks old, there was no hesitation about where to turn.
Because Lucy was breech throughout the entire pregnancy, her pediatrician took extra precautions after birth to check for hip dysplasia. “Her pediatrician wanted to check if she could possibly have hip dysplasia, and thank god she did because we were able to treat her on time,” shares Michelle. “We were so grateful it was diagnosed so early where we as parents did not notice, and she did not feel affected by it as a newborn.”
The family’s relationship with Nemours Children’s came full circle when they decided to bring Lucy in for treatment. “The treatment for myself was so great that when I found out Lucy needed to be treated for her condition, I came back to Nemours,” says Michelle. Since then, Lucy’s care team at Nemours, led by Dr. John Lovejoy, has worked together to support her in reaching her milestones. The orthopedics team recommended that Lucy wear a brace for three months to help her hips develop correctly, with the hope of avoiding surgery. “They gave my daughter a chance to avoid surgery, and she made it,” says Michelle.
“The experience with Nemours has been amazing from the very first day,” Michelle shares. “Dr. Lovejoy has been a blessing; he’s very kind and gentle with Lucy. The clinical team has also been on top of everything she needs. My favorite thing about everyone who’s part of her care team is how well they work together to reach her goals. Every follow up has been positive news. We feel completely confident in the care they provide. We know she’s in good hands.”
Today, Lucy is making great progress in her journey with hip dysplasia. Recently, Lucy’s original brace was removed, and her family couldn’t be more excited. Now, Lucy is in a new brace that only needs to be worn at night. At her next visit, Dr. Lovejoy and the team will assess her progress to determine whether she can graduate from this brace. She also just began physical therapy and is already seeing progress, sitting up on her own after only 2 weeks! Lucy’s next big goal is starting to roll over. “We are so excited to see Lucy up and running, and we know that day is right around the corner,” says Michelle. “We have made it so far and we will continue any treatment Nemours recommends for her.”
Looking back on their journey, Michelle shares this message for other families navigating hip dysplasia, “The process can be scary because you don’t know the outcome, but trust the process and know you’re in good hands. Nemours has provided everything Lucy needs for a full recovery. It has taken time to get where she is, but every step of the way, Nemours walked us through the process. We are beyond blessed to have found this team.”
