Baby Blanket Sacks

Infant Hip Dysplasia and Sleep Easy Swaddling

The director of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI), Dr. Charles T. Price, has trained parents in orthopedic care for children to improve the health and quality of life for those afflicted and/or concerned with infant hip dysplasia and sleep easy swaddling. He has been a part of the cause to advance pediatric orthopedics in the area of limb lengthening, limb deformity correction, non-operative and operative management of scoliosis and certain hip disorders in children. He is known for his clinical and academic achievements including scientific publications on a variety of subjects.

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What is hip dysplasia? It is a medical term for the instability or looseness of the hip joint that can range from mild laxity to a complete dislocation. Hip Dysplasia is not a birth defect and one out of every 20 babies will have some hip instability, while two to three per thousand will require treatment. The laxity is due to the mother’s hormones that help ligaments relax during child birth. The birth position may also stretch the hip joints and make them loose. Most babies’ hips tighten up naturally which happen 90% of the time, but with tight swaddling, genetics and other condition a natural correction can keep this from occurring. Also, there is recent information that mild hip dysplasia is a very common cause of hip arthritis in young adults and one third of all hip joint replacements before the age of 50 is due to unrecognized hip dysplasia. Family history and breech position in the womb are the two biggest risk factors. One in four babies in the breech position will have some hip dysplasia and one in eight babies if one parent has a medical history. Since girls are afflicted more than boys the risks can up if there is family history and she is in a breech position in the womb. Other factors can include; first born girls, twisted neck or foot, birth weight more than 8lbs, 13oz, mother older than 35 years and hip click. Hip clicks are usually not due to actual or potential dislocation and are secondary to normal snapping of the tendons and other factors similar to popping in the normal ankle or cracking knuckles.

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Hip dysplasia and dislocation are usually diagnosed by a routine exam of the hip joint. Your pediatrician may recommend an ultrasound if he feels your baby is at risk for hip dysplasia. The ultrasound can tell whether the hip joint is loose or dislocated. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that an ultrasound be administered at six weeks of age for all baby girls who were in the breech position. An ultrasound is rarely performed during the first two weeks since it takes this long for the mother’s relaxing hormones to leave the baby’s body. That is why it is important to not swaddle a baby too tightly as it can cause serious hip problems. It is important to leave the hips free to move and not tightly strapped with legs straight and together. IHDI approves of the HALO SleepSack for healthy baby hips.

The HALO Sleep Sack has sufficient legroom to allow for sleep easy swaddling and free movement for hips and knees. This wearable blanket replaces loose blankets that can cover the baby’s face and interfere with breathing thus reducing the possibility for SIDS. See: Baby Blankets and SIDS for more information. Baby blanket sacks can’t be kicked off during the night ensuring that the baby will stay warm and sleep soundly throughout the night. You can help your baby have healthy hips by recognizing the risk factors and not swaddle their legs too tightly for the first few months of their life. The content provided in Baby Blanket Sacks is for information purposes only, intended to raise the awareness of different solutions for you or your families sleep problems and should not be considered medical advice. For medical diagnosis and treatment, please see your qualified health-care professional.