Clubfoot Information That Parents Need to Know

If you have a baby with clubfoot, or know someone who does, here is some vital information about clubfoot that all parents should know.

How likely is your baby to be born with clubfoot?

Clubfoot is more common in males. Family history. If you, your spouse or your other children have had clubfoot, your baby is more likely to have it as well. Smoking during pregnancy. If a woman with a family history of clubfoot smokes during pregnancy, her baby's risk of the clubfoot may be 20 times greater than average. Taking anti-depressants during pregnancies. Some anti-depressants, such as Zoloft, have been found to cause babies with clubfoot.

How do you know if your baby has clubfoot?

Clubfoot twists the top of your baby's foot downward and inward. The foot may be turned so severely that it actually looks as if it's upside-down. The calf muscles in your child's affected leg are usually underdeveloped. The clubfoot may be up to 1 centimeter (about .4 inches) shorter than the other foot.

What are the complications of clubfoot in babies?

When your baby gets older, he or she is likely to have arthritis. Your child may not be able walk on the soles of their feet. He or she may walk on the balls of the feet, the outside of the feet or even the top of the feet. The calf muscles may not develop properly. Clubfoot can cause large sores or calluses on the feet.

What is the best treatment for clubfoot?

Because your newborn's bones and joints are extremely flexible, treatment for clubfoot usually begins soon after birth. The goal of treatment is to restore the look and function of the foot before your child learns to walk.

The Ponseti Method has the highest success rate of any known treatment. The Ponseti Method involves gently manipulating the baby's clubfoot into the correct position and then placing it in a cast to maintain that position.

Repositioning and recasting occurs every week for several weeks. After the shape of the foot is realigned, it's maintained through stretching exercises, special shoes or splinting with braces at night for up to three years.

What kind of doctor can help my child?

If your child has clubfoot, you should seek a qualified clubfoot doctor who is trained in the Ponseti Method of clubfoot correction. You want a clubfoot specialist who will explain everything that is involved in clubfoot, the treatment of clubfoot casting and the post-treatment which includes bracing to prevent a relapse.

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