THE mother of two Stafford girls born with dislocated hips is planning a fundraising campaign for a charity which helped them - and is urging other parents to be aware.
Hannah Chadwick was shocked to discover her third daughter Hattie, born in February last year, had dislocated hips and had to have both legs put in a cast.
Hattie’s condition, known as developmental dysplasia of the hip, is hereditary but the condition can still occur in other children at birth.
Her older daughter Iris, three, had sometimes walked with a slight limp but it had previously been dismissed by health professionals.
But when Hattie was diagnosed she decided to get Iris checked as well and was devastated to discover she had the same condition.
Iris also had to have her hips in a cast, known as a spica, but as her condition was picked up later she also had to under go surgery.
Mum-of-three Mrs Chadwick, of Woodleyes Crescent, says she is determined to raise cash for the Steps charity, which provided support to the family, and raise awareness of the condition.
Barnfields Primary School is also planning to help out as oldest daughter Ella attends the school and Iris attends the Barney Bears nursery there. Boots at Queensville Retail Park has also pledged to support the fund-raising effort. “It has been a traumatic year for us,” said Mrs Chadwick. “Hattie was in a hip spica for 10 weeks during the summer and Iris in November.
“If Iris’s condition had been found earlier it would have been more straightforward but as it was she had to have various treatments. It was difficult for her because she was an active three-year-old.
She has got to have physiotherapy and regular check-ups but hopefully now we are over the worst.
“The Steps charity really supported us because it was hard coming to terms with it all. In our case DDH is hereditary but the condition can still occur in other children and parents must be aware of what to look out for.
“Baby Hip Health week is coming up and I wanted to do something to help Steps. I am so grateful to Boots and to Barnfields Primary for helping us.”
