By Betsy Miller
IHDI Advisory Committee
Author of The Parents’ Guide to Hip Dysplasia
Hi, everyone. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to be a guest contributor to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute newsletter! I’m going to be writing about books and resources that are specifically about hip dysplasia.
I was treated for hip dysplasia myself as a baby. I don’t remember my cast or brace, but I do remember growing up without mobility problems. Last year at age 56, I had my left hip replaced. The surgery went very well, but I’m sure without treatment I would have needed the surgery decades ago. So you might say I have a long-term interest in hip health.
As some of you know, I wrote a book to help parents who are dealing with a child who has hip dysplasia. This ultimately led to me getting to know Dr. Charles T. Price from the IHDI medical board. When the IHDI was formed, I worked with Dr. Price to write many of the topics on the IHDI website www.hipdysplasia.org. There’s a lot of good information available concerning hip dysplasia in children and in adults. Of course, the IHDI is also involved in medical research for hip dysplasia. You can learn about those efforts on the IHDI website as well.
Dr. Price asked me to include my own book along with the others, which feels a little awkward, but it would be even more awkward to leave it out. So today’s books are: The Parents’ Guide to Hip Dysplasia and Hope, the Hip Hippo. Both of these books are resources for parents. I will be writing about more books, including books for adults with hip dysplasia, in future IHDI newsletters.
Happy reading!
The Parents’ Guide to Hip Dysplasia
by Betsy Miller
The Parents’ Guide to Hip Dysplasia is an easy-to-understand resource that explains what hip dysplasia is and guides parents through diagnosis and treatment for babies, children, and adolescents.
This book is available through most online booksellers, and you can order a copy at many brick and mortar bookstores.
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780897936460
To reach me please contact: Betsy.Miller@hipdysplasia.org
Hope the Hip Hippo
by Gina Jay & Julie Beattie
Illustrated by Cherie Turner
Hope the Hip Hippo is a children’s picture book with bright, animated art that follows Hope, a pink hippo who has hip dysplasia, through her treatment. Hope loves to run, play, and dance, but her hips hurt until she goes to Dr. Kindly to get them fixed.
The authors did a great job of keeping the story reassuring and simple enough for a child to understand. I love the little details, like the way Hope is smiling when she gets an x-ray because x-rays don’t hurt, and how she wakes up after surgery in a hip spica cast and says, “I’m stuck!” because she can’t move her legs. At the end of the story, Hope’s hips are better and she’s back to dancing.
I highly recommend this book to families with a young child who needs treatment involving a hip spica cast.
This book is available through most online booksellers, and you can order a copy at many brick and mortar bookstores. Hope’s website: https://www.hopethehiphippo.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Hip-Hippo-Dysplasia-Children/dp/1460200624
