Marvin and Aga Weyland, both academics at the University of Otago, said their daughter Mira’s battle had left them fearing she faced a lifetime of complications.
When Mira received treatment for hip dysplasia from October 2024 to January last year at Dunedin Hospital, it led to a host of complications, Dr Weyland said, including forcing Mira to have to "re-learn" how to walk and leaving her with a limp.
"From the start, it’s been so frustrating.
"A sequence of medical decisions turned what was initially a straightforward, treatable condition into a chronic illness with potentially lifelong consequences."
Since the early procedures, the couple decided to read contemporary medical literature about treatment for Mira’s condition, Dr Weyland said.
They also looked abroad to Europe for answers.
"Our daughter underwent several early surgeries that we now understand were unnecessary and inappropriate for her condition, exposing her to avoidable risks and complications."
In August, Mira was placed on the waitlist for corrective surgery and the family expected her to receive treatment at Auckland City Hospital in April this year.
But Dr Weyland said he believed time was running out and leaving it too long could risk necrosis.
"It’s got to the stage where we’re considering going abroad to get the surgery done."
Dr Weyland said Plunket nurses and the health system in general ignored some of Mira’s symptoms when she was five months old.
"Had the hip dysplasia been diagnosed on time, no surgeries would have been necessary at all.
"At an age of a few months, it can be treated with a brace that keeps the hip joint in a good position to grow correctly.
"But nothing happened for one and a-half years until she walked and was kind of limping, which we all kind of noticed, but we didn’t really think about until the teacher at the early childhood centre said, ‘this doesn’t look right’."
Due to the early childhood teacher’s concern, Marvin and Aga took Mira for an X-ray, which revealed the dysplasia.
Surgery intended to help Mira ended up being one of the rare examples where the condition worsened.
"We learned that she would have to have more surgery and would need ... three months in a spica cast, which means that she would be completely immobile."
Dr Weyland described Mira as "an incredibly cheerful and smiling girl, but also very sensitive".
"Constant pain would completely change her world and limited physical fitness would deprive her of the ability to run, play and enjoy other activities she loves.
"If she develops necrosis, then there’s nothing to be done. She will be disabled."
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora was approached for comment.
