At her seven-week well visit, Sara’s Zufall pediatrician, Amy Kotler, MD, noticed a clicking sound and diagnosed her with congenital hip dysplasia. This is a condition where the hip joint doesn’t form properly in the womb and, if left untreated, can lead to delayed walking, limping, or long-term hip problems. Through Zufall’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) program, HealthySteps, Sara and Brenda were quickly referred to a pediatric orthopedist who prescribed a hip brace to help correct the issue.

Brenda shared with her Zufall ECD specialist, Lesly Tinoco, LAC, a licensed associate counselor, that she couldn’t transport Sara because the brace didn’t fit in a standard car seat. Tinoco worked with a community partner to secure a donated specialty car seat that fit Sara’s needs. The car seat allowed Brenda to bring Sara to appointments and also made it possible for her to check in on her elderly grandmother, who lives nearby and has no other family support.

As of her 18-month pediatric visit, Sara is walking and doing well. Brenda, whose older child has autism and who carries guilt about her children’s health challenges, continues to receive individual counseling with Tinoco.

“I am very impressed by and have so much appreciation for my daughter’s Zufall care team. I don’t have many people to lean on. But when I come here, I can talk about the difficult things in motherhood and be reminded that I matter.” – Brenda

*Photo is for illustrative purposes only to maintain patient privacy.