One out of every 1000 babies is born with a foot that is twisted. It might call sideways with the toes bent at a funny angle, or it might have an odd shape that points in the wrong direction so that it appears to be crooked or upside down nearly. Irrespective of the shape and size, doctors term this as clubfoot. Several babies were born with the club photo healthy in all other ways; about half generally have it in both feet.
Clubfoot does not cause any pain, but it makes it challenging for your child to walk without a limb if it is not treated. However, in the majority of the cases, it is straightforward to correct, so children don't have any long-lasting effects.
Can Club Foot Be Prevented?
Club food generally happens due to tendons bands of tissues that connect muscle to the bones, and muscles in and around the foot are shorter than the regular size. Doctors do not know the cause behind club foot, and there is no one particular way to ensure that your child will not be born with it. But some things make clubfoot more likely possible, and the conditions are as follows.
Gender
Generally, babies with club feet are males.
Family History
Babies with one of the parents or siblings who had club feet are most likely to get it.
Lifestyle Choices
There are chances that your baby to be born with a clubfoot if you smoke or use illegal drugs while you are expecting.
Congenital Disabilities
In some cases, clubfoot is linked with other conditions a baby is generally born with, like spina bifida.
Minimum amniotic fluid during pregnancy
The amniotic fluid surrounds your baby in the womb, and if you like that fluid, the chances of your baby being born with a club foot are high.
Symptoms
When a baby is born, it is easy to notice all the signs of clubfoot. Some of the most common symptoms of clubfoot include the foot pointing downwards on the toes might be called in words. The foot appears to be sideways when your baby is suffering from a club foot, and sometimes it might even be upside down. The club foot might be smaller by up to a half-inch than the regular foot. When your baby is suffering from a club foot, the calf muscles on the affected leg might not be developed fully. The club foot might also have minimum motion range.
By simply looking at your baby, the doctor can spot the clubfoot. Your doctor might also notice it when you have an ultrasound done late in your pregnancy.
Treatment
After your child is born, the doctor will begin to correct the issue. Generally, babies do not use their feet until they learn to stand and walk, so the objective is to fix it early enough to prevent any delays. The doctor might suggest you go for a cast or surgery.
Casting
A baby's tendons are likely to bend and stretch quite quickly, so doctors can turn the club foot in any direction they want, so they choose to use the tendons to turn it in the right direction and correct the problem. First, the doctors ensure that they move the foot gently into a closer position to where it must be. Then they put a cast to hold the foot in place. After a week, the doctor will remove the cost, stretch the baby's foot gently, and put it in a new position. The pattern will continue for at least a few months or weeks. Finally, to ensure that the baby's bones are slowly moving in the correct direction, the doctor might suggest you go for some X-rays.