Our Confirmation at Children's Hospital

Today we went to Children's National Medical Center to meet with neonatal doctors as well as the orthopedic surgeon to discuss the plan for treatment of Jackson's club feet. It was confirmed that he does indeed have bilateral club feet; this was confirmed with a level II ultrasound that lasted around an hour to an hour and half. The orthopedic surgeon set out a treatment plan based on the Ponseti method of treatment. This method involves Children's being notified of Jackson's birth and scheduling his first appointment within the first week to two weeks after his birth. At this first appointment, he will be assessed and if everything looks good he will receive his first casts at that appointment. Depending on the overall severity of his feet he will have serial casting for 6 to 9 weeks; the casts will be changed every week during that time. Before his last casts are placed on he will have a quick procedure that involves numbing his heels and "releasing" his Achilles tendons before recasting them for three additional weeks. Once his casting completed, Jackson will spend 23 and a half hours a day in braces that include sandals and a bar. He will spend his days in these braces for 4 months followed by having to wear them at night for up to 4 years. As long as we keep up with his treatment and do exactly as the doctors say; it is unlikely that he will need further surgeries or that he will relapse.

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