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How early can lengthening start?

Hi, My daughter Ayanna has unilateral PFFD. She is now 1yr 3 months, I was wondering how early lenghtening procedures can start? The doctors I have met have told me that they will advice me in due course!! I need to know to plan!! Please help

Simon

Comments

Simon,

The fact that the doctors won't tell you things ahead of time seems odd to me. Like you, I need to plan everything out.

Here's my understanding. Lengthening happens at different ages depending on the severity of the length difference. If your child will require multiple surgeries because the estimated length difference is so great, lengthening would start earlier than if a child only requires 1 surgery. If the child only requires 1 lengthening surgery, the doctor will likely wait until the child is a teenager and has basically stopped getting taller. My daughter will require 4 or more lengthening surgeries. Her first surgery happened at age 4.

I hope this helps some.

Beth

Thanks beth for sharing with me your understanding on when lengthening may start. I will follow up with the doctors from here in nairobi - kenya where am based. I wish your daughter all the best as she undergoes the remaining treatments.

simon

I think Paley starts at the age of 2. I have been with him for almost 20 years because I had a very sever case... We started at age 4, but now he starts earlier. In my opinion - the easlier the better and the easier on the child!!!