Bilateral Hip Dysplasia Treatment?

[lilducks]

I have an almost 3 year old child who was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia as an infant. Our health insurance didn't cover her dysplasia so we were referred to a state sponsored health program for children with disabilities. We got to see her orthopedist once and he prescribed a Pavlik harness to be worn until she was 6 months old. She wore her harness and we went back for X rays to see if her hips were fully contained-they weren't. He prescribed another harness which we were supposed to go see another orthopedist to have her fitted into. Unfortunately the state disability people (CCS-California Children's Services) never paid the bill. I fought and called and tried to get them to help and they kept saying she was covered by them but everytime we made an appointment with the orthopedist for some reason they were saying we were ineligible. I even tried applying for social security medi-cal (not the money, just the insurance) and they said that because she isn't 'damaged' YET they can't help her-but that later on down the line if one of her legs grows longer than the other or something and causes her problems THEN she will be eligbile for SSI (medi-cal and cash)-real reassuring huh? AFTER my child is damaged for life, THEN they will help her.

Anyways I finally managed to get her medi-cal through the state (unfortunately the reason we are now eligible for it is because I am pregnant and having an extremely difficult pregnancy, have been put on bedrest, and had to quit my job!)

To make a long story short, my toddler is going to be 3 in late August. She has been out of her Pavlik harness since she was about 6 months or so old and we couldn't get another. I am fairly certain that she is too old for another Pavlik and I was wondering if there is any type of nonsurgical alternative for a child her age? I read a certain website that had a brace called a "cruiser" for toddlers who can walk and I am really hoping she isn't too old for it. Last time we went (when she was still an infant) the doc said that one of her hips is completely encased now and the other is only 50 percent encased-but she is a very active toddler, has been walking since 10 months old, and I don't know if the damage could have gotten worse since we saw him last...if the socket was 50 percent encased at her checkup before she started walking could it have gotten more damaged because she had no treatment since?

I am not asking for medical advice, I just want to be emotionally prepared-we have an appointment on Wed and I want to brace myself just in case the doctor is going to tell me surgery is the only way.

I hope you all can give me some hope that I won't have to see my active little fiery redhead have surgery and then be stuck in a cast for who knows how long! Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!

Dawn

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Kind of sounds like it is the doctor's initial paperwork for the state that caused the problem with the child not getting services she needs. I would think by now unfortunately there may be problems arising that would warrent a different diagnosis by an orthopedic. When you were denied before did you go back to the original doctor and discuss the paperwork with them? Did you get any information from the state regarding a diagnosis that DOES qualify? Sometimes doctors are very hesitant to diagnose disabilities that will require their signature for state funded services.