Hip Dysplasia: Understanding the causes, symptoms and treatment?
Concerned about your child’s hip health? Questions about hip dysplasia in infants? We’ve got you covered with essential information.
If you’re worried about your child’s hip health or have questions about infant hip dysplasia, you’re not alone. This resource is here to provide understanding and support, helping you make informed decisions for your child’s well-being.
By Chris Pearson, Physiotherapist.
- September 11, 2023
What is Hip Dysplasia?
Developmental dysplasia of the hip is an umbrella term for a wide spectrum of hip conditions. This may include neonatal instability, acetabular dysplasia as well as hip subluxations and true hip dislocations.
A clinical examination should be done commonly as part of the physical examination of a newborn child. After two to three months, limited hip abduction is the most important clinical signs for developmental dyplasia of the hip and performing an ultrasound should be done in any children who have abnormal examination or in those with high-risk factors.
Risk Factors for Hip Dysplasia?
Risk factors in this population include a family history of hip dysplasia or a breech position during birth. The breech position is described as being positioned either bottom or feet first whilst in the uterus. Clicking hips during a normal hip examination as well as being female are also both risk factors for developing hip dysplasia.
Why is early diagnosis important?
Early diagnosis and management is quite important because it will prevent long term complications like ongoing hip instability and dislocations and early onset osteoarthritis.
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The goal of treatment is ultimately to try and provide an optimal environment for the progression of the femoral head and the acetabulum. Therefore, this reason alone outlines the significance of early diagnosis to prevent the aforementioned long-term complications of hip dysplasia.
Hip dysplasia requires early identification from a paediatrician, general practitioner, physiotherapist or nurse practitioner. The treatment will depend on the age of the patient as well as the degree of hip dysplasia. Without early treatment, and young child may envelope some long term consequences as a result. This can include a limp, a leg length discrepancy, and ultimately may lead to early onset osteoarthritis.
If you have any questions regarding hip dysplasia within the paediatric population, or you have any concerns or questions about hip dysplasia in your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the Center of Movement. We are here to provide compassionate support and assistance to you and your little one.
What is the treatment?
- Mild instability without any dislocation can be closely monitored
- Referral to a paediatric orthopaedic specialist will be required for those who have dislocatable hips. They may determine whether or not and abduction splint would be suitable
- Paedeatric orthopaedic specialists will be required and will determine whether some splints, or harnesses will be beneficial at this stage.
- Commonly a Pavlik harness, Van rosen splints, Laussanne-developed abduction braces, Ilfeld orthosis and Frejka pillows may be used.
- For infants who did not respond to abduction devices then a closed reduction cast is generally preferred. This is usually done under general anaesthesia and the hip is placed in a flexed and abducted position
- Open reduction is the preferred option for children with diagnosed hip dysplasia who have a failed closed reduction
- Ultimately the aim of the open reduction is to correct any abnormalities of the anatomy of the hip
- After the open reduction a cast will be applied for a period of time, depending on the paediatric specialists opinion
- Vaquero-Picado.A, et al. (2019) Developmental dysplasia of the hip: Update of Management. EFORT open reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31598333/
- professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). Breech baby: Causes, complications, turning & delivery. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21848-breech-baby
- de Hunt, M, et al. (2012) Risk factors for developmental dysplasia of the hip: A meta-analysis. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22824571/
- Nandhagopal, T. (2022). Developmental dysplasia of the hip - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563157/
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