Michelle Reyes, a mother of three from Buena Park, California, noticed something different with her son, Tommy, from birth. Despite a challenging pregnancy, doctors never detected any issues. “My pregnancy with Tommy was really hard on my body,” she shared. “All of my tests came back looking good,” she added, believing she would have a healthy baby boy.
Upon Tommy’s birth, Reyes observed his feet turning inward. Nurses assured her this was likely due to his position in the womb. However, a specialist soon diagnosed Tommy with severe bilateral clubfoot, a condition affecting about one in every 1,000 newborns in the U.S.
“It was definitely a lot to take in because we had gone through the entire pregnancy thinking everything was completely fine,” Reyes said.
Interestingly, Reyes had encountered clubfoot information on social media just weeks prior. Despite initial concerns about her role, her doctor reassured her that clubfoot often occurs without any specific cause.
Tommy began treatment at just six days old. Casts were applied from his thighs to his toes, changed bi-weekly to gradually straighten his feet. After five casts, an Achilles tenotomy was performed to improve his foot’s position. He then wore a special brace for 23 hours a day, later reduced to 14 hours, aligning with the Ponseti method’s 90 to 100 percent success rate, backed by a Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics study showing a 93 percent success rate when correctly followed.
Reyes witnessed significant improvements in Tommy’s feet. “He’s still able to do everything a baby his age should be doing,” she mentioned. Tommy crawls, learns to walk, and swims, mirroring other babies his age.
Reyes remains hopeful for Tommy’s future, appreciating his resilience through early procedures and treatment. “I want him to know his story and remember everything he went through,” she stated.
Reyes aims to inspire others facing similar challenges. “It’s OK to be overwhelmed at first, but there is so much hope,” she encouraged, emphasizing that children with clubfoot can still lead fulfilling lives.
For more on this story, contact Newsweek editors Marc Vargas and James Debens.
Reference: Abdelgawad A., Lehman W.B., van Bosse H.J.P., Scher D.M., Sala D.A. “Treatment of idiopathic clubfoot using the Ponseti method: minimum 2-year follow-up.” Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B. 2007;16(2):98–105.