Syndactyly/joined Fingers

Ah it's so hard to have anything wrong with your baby. We had to see a neurosurgeon when my 2nd baby was 2 weeks old because they thought her spinal cord might have been tethered...she had dimples present in her sacrum at birth.

Anyway I don't have any direct experience with syndactyly but I do know that white male babies are affected more than any other demographic for some reason. He'll likely have a small skin graft during the surgery to help close the skin around the affected fingers, and he will probably be in a small cast for a little while. He'll probably be evaluated for awhile afterwards for some physical therapy to be able to use all of his fingers. Like you said the true blessing is that his bones aren't involved, and after all of this is over you'll probably never even know he was born with it. The good thing is that they will do the surgery when he's young enough not to remember it later on. This affects 1 in about 2500 babies, so doctors are experienced in these surgeries. Everything will be fine. :)

Don't worry he will be fine. This is a minor correction. Be glad he does not have a serious or life threatening problem. He will never know that he had the surgery everything will work out well.

Hang in there Mama, that sounds scary! BUT its best to do it when they're so tiny they don't remember or have developmental delays due to it. He'll be ok, its not open heart surgery and that's something a lot of parents and babies face after birth.

Best wishes!

He'll be just fine! This is more common than you think, although always stressful when it is your precious baby. I knew someone with joined toes and their surgery was with a plastic surgeon and turned out great!

I knew a girl in high school who had that done as a child (not sure how old). I would have never even noticed unless she pointed it out! It must be very scary to have to go through this, but I have a feeling it is prbably more common than we realize. for my firend it was genetic. Her dad had it also,but for him they were never separated and it kept him out of the draft.

My nephew has his toes fused, but they are not going to separate them unless they pose a problem later on (he is only 1, but he is walking just fine), however I can see the need to separate fingers and I think that I would definitely have them separated if it were my child.

Good luck, but I am sure things will be fine :)

My son had a strange birthmark on his temple that needed surgery - I think it was more traumatic for me than it was for him. Waking up from anesthesia is very confusing for little ones, so be prepared for a very unhappy kiddo. Mine was old enough that he was able to have a popsicle when he was done with the surgery - it's an easy way to get them to take fluids. That definitely made him a little happier about it all. Take care!

Hello fellow 'river rat'.

: )

Not sure what surgeon he'll be going to, but I'd imagine he'll be at Oakwood? I got surgery on my right hand at Oakwood.

Because it's only skin, the surgery should be easily (and quickly) done. I wouldn't worry too much. Should heal pretty quickly too.

I would want to talk to the anesthesiologist on duty for that, just to get a better understanding and feel better about it all. I feel that the anesthesiologist has a more difficult job than the surgeon sometimes.