Steps Coffee Morning 19th March 2010

On Friday the 19th of March, Highgrove hosted a coffee morning as part of STEPS Baby Hip Health Awareness Week.

The Coffee morning was attended by over 300 people who jointly raised £2000 for the worthwhile cause.

Thanks go to all those who helped to organise this event, including Kelly and baby Honey Slater and Janet and FourJays for the loan of additional chinaware. And of course many thanks to all those the came along to support this event

The national charity STEPS is hoping their Baby Hip Health Week 13th – 19th March 2010 will help raise awareness amongst parents and health professionals of the vital need to check babies’ hips during the first few weeks of life to prevent unnecessary pain and disability in later years.

In the UK alone, up to 2000 children a year are diagnosed with Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), which describes a range of conditions from mild instability to total dislocation of the hip. Early detection means DDH can often be corrected by a simple outpatient treatment, but a later, or missed, diagnosis can leave a child requiring hospitals stays, operations and potentially a permanent disability. Even if the hips appear to be normal it is important to be aware of signs that might mean there is a problem. The signs parents should look out for include one leg appearing shorter than the other, an extra deep crease on the inside of the thigh, crawling with one leg dragging or walking with a limp or a waddle. Whilst these signs are not conclusive, they may indicate the need for further investigation please seek medical advice if you are concerned.

Sue Banton MBE and founder of STEPS said, “In 2009 STEPS Baby Hip Screening Report revealed that the current screening policy, despite being in place for 40 years, is simply not working throughout the majority of the country. Due to late or missed diagnosis, valuable time is being lost, and we are increasingly supporting the victims of a failing system.”

STEPS is a small national registered charity who support families and children affected by clubfoot, hip dysplasia and other lower limb deficiencies. For further information visit www.steps-charity.org.uk or telephone 01925 750271