[LEJ8]

Can anyone tell me about this special need? I know there have been many famous people born with club feet, but I assume they had therapy immediately after birth.

Thanks

[LJR1974]

My brother was born with one club foot. Initially they try to straighten the foot with casting. They stretch the foot, cast it. Straighten it more, cast it, etc. There are more severe cases where this isn't adequate, and this was the case with my brother. His foot was just too deformed, so he ended up having a couple surgeries. The first surgery he had at about 1 yr, then I think he had another at about 4.

Overall this birth defect hasn't hindered him much. He was the star player on his middle school basketball team, played basketball all through high school, and even some football. When he entered college he did shotput for 2 years for a big ten school.

But he does also have limitations. His range of motion on his foot is a fraction of a "normal" person. This causes some of his muscles through his foot and calf to be tighter and makes him prone to injury and a lot of soreness if he runs or stands a lot. He'll never be able to have a "physical job." One summer home from college he tried landscaping and that just didn't work. His foot hurt way too much. But that's pretty much it. He's now just about 24 (bday 11-7 and apart from the scars from surgery, the average person would never know anything was different. He walks normally, etc.

[Abdulina]

My son has clubfoot on left and missing leg on right. Clubfoot is ten times harder to deal w/ than the prosthetic. However, if you adopt them young w/ clubfoot, it does not seem to be as rough. They ususally cast them when they are infants. Our son was 6yo when we brought him home. Had one surgery previously in Serbia but that was it. He has been home 2 years and had 2 surgeries on it so far. He is now 8 and hates the way he can't walk or run. He's actually asked for another prosthetic instead of dealing w/ the clubfoot. We are told he'll have many more years of surgeries and it still will never be fully corrected. It's very limiting for him and he is rather an athletic kind of kid.

Now, I know many who've adopted little ones w/ clubfeet and have no trouble whatsoever. I can only give you my son's example. Whcih is an older child. He can not ride a bike, can not really run as he has no range of motion in the clubfoot. He relies on the prosthetic leg to do most of the work.

Good luck on whatever you decide. It is typically not such a complicated special need to deal w/ and has great success. Just my son was older and not the kind of care he needed in the beginning.

Take care,

[Abbylu]

Our 5 y/o has slight clubbing of her left foot due to spina bifida. 2 years ago she had a club foot release surgery. She has very limited motion in the foot itself and wears an AFO brace. She never had any casting. Club foot can also be progressive, which was her case. It ever so slowly got worse, and she had her surgery just before she turned 3. However, there is varying degrees of severity, and hers was/is fairly mild. This is definitly one of those "Every child is different" type things.

Damon Wayans would be one of those famous people born with club foot.