Specialty Clinics

Your child’s condition may require them to see multiple specialists for assessment, treatment and follow up. Our pediatric specialty clinics help reduce the number of visits they need, while improving the care they receive.

At one location and in a single day, we bring together the right providers and staff to complete evaluations and assessments and provide the services your child needs. These events, held throughout the year, increase the connection and collaboration between our pediatric specialties; you get a single resource for understanding your child's complex medical condition and planning for treatment.

The clinic providers, which vary by clinic, include a range of pediatric practitioners, with expertise in areas like genetics; neurology; ears, nose and throat; gastroenterology; orthopedics; and developmental pediatrics. Depending on a child's particular situation, they and their families may also meet with our motion analysis specialists; social workers; child life specialists; physical, occupational and speech therapists; and wheelchair and seating specialists. They can even receive orthotics and prosthetic services.

Clinic professionals meet to discuss each child and develop a personalized treatment plan that allows each child to reach their full potential. Shriners Children's Salt Lake City pediatric specialty clinics also allow families to come together and meet other families dealing with similar circumstances. Below are the current pediatric specialty clinics offered at Shriners Children's Salt Lake City. To request an appointment at one of these clinics, call us at 800-314-4283 or send us an email.

Our Weekly Utah Clubfoot Clinic

A joint venture of Shriners Children's Salt Lake City and the University of Utah Department of Orthopaedics, the weekly Utah Clubfoot Clinic offers comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and management of clubfoot for infants and children.

Why Choose the Utah Clubfoot Clinic?

We bring together the state's leading specialists in clubfoot corrections and related procedures. Our clinic physicians are trained in the Ponseti method for clubfoot correction. Two of them trained directly with Ignacio Ponseti, M.D., the developer of the method. All our clubfoot clinic physicians are board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeons who are also affiliated with the University of Utah Department of Orthopaedics.

The support team includes medical assistants, care managers and physician assistants who specialize in the care, treatment and support of children with clubfoot.

The Utah Clubfoot Clinic Locations

Shriners Children's Salt Lake City
1275 E. Fairfax Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
801-518-2602

Primary Children's Hospital - Lehi
2250 North Miller Campus Drive, Suite 300
Lehi, UT 84043
385-531-3600

Utah Clubfoot Clinic Appointments and Contact Information

Prior to your appointment, our clubfoot coordinator will provide details about your visit and answer any questions you may have. Clinic tours and prenatal consults are available upon request. You can also watch the virtual Clubfoot Clinic tour at the link below.

For additional information and to schedule an appointment, call our clinic coordinator at 801-518-2602.

Clubfoot Clinic Virtual Tour

Welcome to the Utah Clubfoot Clinic! Most common questions answered, and an introduction to our staff.

View Transcript

Esmeralda Tule:

Your child has been diagnosed with clubfoot. Welcome to the largest clubfoot clinic in the Western United States, the Utah Clubfoot Clinic.

Esmeralda Tule:

In this video, we will be covering the process of the clinic, and answering the most common questions. Meet Dr. Hennessy, one of our clubfoot specialists.

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

Hi, I'm Dr. Theresa Hennessey. I'm a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Hospitals in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Screen: What is the Utah Clubfoot Clinic?

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

The Utah Clubfoot Clinic was established in 2015. Clubfoot is a very common condition, and we have a lot of patients in Utah and the region, and we wanted to establish a care model that took care of you, your children, and had the best outcomes possible.

Screen: How will clubfoot affect my child's life?

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

As a parent, I know the anxiety of learning that your child might have a diagnosis that you don't understand. I want to assure you that clubfoot is very common. And I know that the question deep in your mind is, "How will this affect my child's life?" What you need to know is that clubfoot is a completely curable condition. And that if I do my part, and you do your part, your child will have a completely normal life while dealing with this diagnosis. While having a newborn infant is stressful, and having a clubfoot adds a little bit of stress to that together, as a team, we are going to do a great job in treating your child's clubfoot.

Screen: Meet the Team.

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

Our team at the clinic consists of three physicians and a physician's assistant. Each of us, the physicians, have over 15 years of treating clubfeet, or our physician assistant has about 10 years of treating clubfeet. We see a lot of feet and we do a very good job. All four of us have extensive training in the clubfoot Ponseti method.

Screen: What is the Ponseti method?

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

The Ponseti method, established by Dr. Ponseti in Iowa, is the gold standard for treating clubfoot worldwide. It does have to be said that not all clubfeet are idiopathic clubfeet. An idiopathic clubfoot is a foot that has no other associated conditions. There are some feet that are associated with syndromes. The first thing we will do when we meet you and your child is examine your child head to toe to make sure that we all understand exactly what condition we're dealing with.

Screen: How long does it take to fix a clubfoot?

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

The Ponseti method of treating clubfoot, again, the worldwide standard is an average of six weekly casts with the last cast being on for about three weeks after a minor procedure to lengthen the Achilles tendon. After the casting, we go into bracing. The bracing phase is full-time brace wear for about three months, followed by 12 to 14 hours a day, or nighttime brace wear for about 3 1/2 years.

Dr. Theresa Heenessey:

The wonderful thing about the Utah Clubfoot Clinic is we're a team that really cares about you and your child. We created this clinic and have our own coordinator because we want you to have immediate access to us if there are any issues. It's a coordinated care, where you'll never feel like you're alone. You'll never feel like you don't know what to do. You'll have access to us and you'll feel completely cared for. We want the best for your child. And we can do that by working as a team together.

Esmeralda Tule:

Now, that we know what clubfoot is what's next?

Screen: First steps

Esmeralda Tule:

After the baby's born, the infant should be scheduled at two to three weeks of age for their first casting appointment. This first appointment will likely take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour long. At this appointment, we will make sure that baby's hips are okay. We will make sure that his spine or her spine is okay. And do a full physical examination.

Screen: When will the casting begin?

Esmeralda Tule:

We will likely start the casting at this first appointment.

Screen: What to bring

Esmeralda Tule:

Babies do best with a pacifier or a bottle during the cast application. We have a child life specialist, whose job is to make your child comfortable during this process.

Screen: What is the casting like?

Esmeralda Tule:

Mom and dad are encouraged to be at bedside with the patient during the casting application. With the leg bent at a 90 degree angle, the cast is applied from the toes up to the top of the leg. The casting process usually takes 5 to 10 minutes per leg.

Esmeralda Tule:

Let me show you around. Here's the clinic room. This is where your child will be brought into for cast removal. There is a reserved bathing area for you to bathe your child before the next cast application. Because the cast cannot get wet, this is a good opportunity for you to bathe your child in between cast changes.

Esmeralda Tule:

We have our own in-house bracing department called POPS that collaborates with our clinic.

Screen: How long are appointments?

Esmeralda Tule:

A typical casting appointment usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour long. The appointment before your last cast, which is the tenotomy appointment will usually last a little longer. So, expect to be at the hospital for usually an hour longer than your previous appointments.

Esmeralda Tule:

After the tenotomy, your child will be placed on a final cast. This cast will stay on for three weeks. At the end of those three weeks, you will return to clinic, we will remove the cast. And then he or she will be placed in a bracing schedule, which usually consists of 23-hour, full-time brace wear for the next three months.

Esmeralda Tule:

Now, that you've gone through the virtual tour, if you have any additional questions, please visit the Utah Clubfoot Clinic at clubfootclinic.com.

Screen: clubfootclinic.com

Special Needs Car Seat Clinic

Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that that approximately 60% of car seats are installed or fit improperly. This concern is further complicated for children with complex health care needs.

Two Fridays each month, clinical professionals certified through the NHTSA as child passenger safety technicians assess the specific care seat needs of each child they see. In addition to fitting the child for a car seat, families are educated on proper car seat usage specific to medical needs, and each seat is custom fit to the vehicle ensure proper installation.

Children under the age of 18 can be referred directly to this clinic. They do not need to be a Shriners Children's patient to be seen. Call 385-541-8957 to schedule a car seat clinic appointment.

Read more about the Shriners Children's Salt Lake City Car Seat Clinic:

Cerebral Palsy Clinic

The orthopedic conditions associated with cerebral palsy are the most common orthopedic conditions we treat at Shriners Children's Salt Lake City. Our weekly cerebral palsy clinic, which connects cerebral palsy specialists with patients and their families, serves our largest patient population.

These specialists are in the areas of rehabilitative medicine, pediatrics, neurology, physical and occupational therapy, social work, and wheelchair and seating. Specialized orthotic and prosthetic services are also available.

We also provide evaluations, assessments and services in areas such as orthopedics, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation. Clinics often offer a wide array of support services, including child life and nutrition, as well as staff from our motion analysis center.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Clinic

Supported by the CdLS Foundation, the Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) clinic meets every spring, typically in March. This clinic, the first of its kind in the country, is a valuable resource for families who have a child with this condition.

The genetic disorder CdLS causes a range of physical, cognitive and medical challenges for children. It affects boys and girls equally, and is seen in all races and ethnic backgrounds. Common symptoms of CdLS in children include failure to thrive, developmental delay, limb abnormalities and autism. It's estimated that the rate of CdLS is one in 10,000 live births.

In our CdLS clinic, patients and families connect with a collaborative team of specialists with expertise in orthopedics, developmental pediatrics, neurology, gastroenterology, ear nose and throat, genetics, social work, physical and occupational therapy, dental care and nutrition. Additionally, parent representatives from the CdLS Foundation are available to meet with families.

A range of support services are also available to our patients, as determined by the medical team, They can include our:

Motion analysis center with a multidisciplinary team that can consist of physical therapists, orthotists and orthopedic surgeons
Rehabilitation services
Wheelchair, seating and mobility
Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services

Hand Clinic

Our hand clinic is held twice a month. You and your child will meet with a board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand and elbow conditions who will evaluate and make recommendations. Those recommendations may include occupational therapy. If you choose to receive occupational therapy services from us, an occupational therapist will be available to meet with you that day to discuss your child's treatment.

The conditions we treat at this clinic include syndactyly, cerebral palsy, duplicate thumbs, arthrogryposis, brachial plexus palsy, trigger thumb and congenital amputation.

Infantile Scoliosis/Mehta Casting Clinic

Neuromuscular Clinic

The monthly neuromuscular clinic at Shriners Children's Salt Lake City brings together a wide variety of specialists. Children seen in this clinic have received a diagnosis that has resulted in neuropathy (nerve dysfunction that causes numbness or weakness) and myopathy (affects the muscles that control voluntary movement in the body), such as muscular dystrophy.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone) Clinic

Our quarterly osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) clinic is a valuable resource for families with children with OI, also known as brittle bone disease.

Your child can meet with a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists who provide compassionate, comprehensive care. We recommend the quarterly osteogenesis imperfecta clinic for all patients with OI. The services provided during the clinic are comprehensive and can include:

Orthopedic care
Spine care
Care management
Nutrition service
Genetics consultation
Developmental pediatric consultation
Ear, nose and throat

We also provide access to therapy services, including physical, occupational and speech therapy, and wheelchair and seating services.

Plastic Surgery Clinic

In this monthly clinic, we see children with orthopedic conditions who could benefit from the services of a plastic surgeon. We provide pediatric plastic surgery services in areas such as scar revisions, including scars from burns, isolated cleft lip repair and ear reconstruction.

Skeletal Dysplasia Clinic

Our skeletal dysplasia clinic meets three times a year. Here, children and their families can meet with orthopedic surgeons, and specialists in ear, nose and throat, neurology and genetics. Practitioners from a number of our specialized departments are available, including:

Rehabilitation services
Wheelchair and seating
Pediatric Orthotics and Prosthetic Services
Motion analysis

Spine Clinic

Twice a week, our pediatric spine specialists meet children with a range of spine conditions, such as scoliosis, abnormal posture, hemivertebrae with fused or absent ribs, kyphosis, tethered spinal cord and torticollis. The specialists in the clinic are available to and often provide second and third opinions.

Request an Appointment

Refer a Patient

801-630-8648

Compassionate, innovative care that improves the quality of life for children and their families.

Our Care Management Teams

Our care management teams include nurses and social workers who understand the challenges of dealing with health conditions and medical procedures. They're a resource for your family throughout your child's treatment, helping you navigate the process so you can focus on your child.

Pediatric Specialty Care

Our experienced team provides compassionate, innovative treatment to children with a range of orthopedic conditions. The personalized approach we provide allows children to rise to their full potential.

patient and physical therapist share high five during physical therapy session

Your Child's Time with Us

Your child deserves a care plan as unique and special as they are. Their support team of physicians, specialists and support staff is brought together to meet the exact needs of that individualized care.

Our Care Management Teams

Pediatric Specialty Care

Your Child's Time with Us

Our Care Management Teams

We Understand the Unique Medical Needs of Children

We provide vital, pioneering treatment from birth to age 18. Here, children have the opportunity to be evaluated and treated by doctors recognized as the best by their peers.