Twins Born With Clubfeet Getting Treatment From Experienced Doctor

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - It's not something that's heard much about, but one in 1,000 children is born each year with clubfeet. It's a deformity in which the foot turns inward. CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh met a set of twins both born with clubfeet and learned about their treatment.

They're called clubfeet because they look like clubs. Aidan and brother Connor Tschirhart have been undergoing treatment for months for the deformity, but they hope to stand on their own two feet soon.

"I think any mom would be stressed out to find out that their babies weren't perfect," their mother Sandra Tschirhart said.

It turns out their father wasn't either. Chris Tschirhart was also born with the common deformity.

"We knew we could get through it," he said. "We knew there was a possible way to get it fixed."

So the Tschirharts turned to an expert -- orthopedic surgeon Dr. Gaia Georgopoulos at Children's Hospital. Last year she handled 90 cases of clubfeet.

"It corrects much more easily and much quicker if you start when they're babies," Georgopoulos said.

The twins were premature, so they started treatment at two months.

"Our goal is to do a very gentle manipulation of the foot," Georgopoulos said.

Then a cast maintained the correct position. The boys' tiny feet were reshaped and casted every week for 10 weeks.

"Then they underwent a small surgical procedure where we actually just cut the Achilles tendon," Georgopoulos said.

The babies wore braces for the next three months. Now the little guys have found their footing.

"If your baby had to be born with a birth defect this is the one you should chose," Sandra said.

Sandra and Chris are anxious for their sons' first steps -- a milestone they'll happily take in stride.

The twins will need to wear their foot braces during naps and at nighttime for the next four to five years. They'll check in with the doctor periodically to make sure their clubfeet remain corrected.