People of all ages can have problems with their bones and joints. Many problems start with how a child grows and learns. A funny walk when you're young can cause problems as you get older. If you have a bad fall, it can slow your growth. As their bodies grow, children are especially likely to have problems with their joints. It may only sometimes be clear that they have a problem, but it will become apparent in a few years.
Small things add up when it comes to kids. For this reason, parents need to keep an eye on how their children grow and change. If children are checked from time to time to see if their arches are getting too high, they can avoid problems for the rest of their lives. If you're a worried parent, these are the things you should keep an eye out for.
Developmental dysplasia of the hip, also known as DDH or hip dysplasia, is a condition that affects a growing hip joint. It happens once out of every 1,000 births. A ball (the femur) and a socket (the acetabulum) make up the hip joint. This joint may be unstable in people with DDH because the ball may slip in and out of the socket.
Also, the socket is usually shallow, which can make a person more likely to get arthritis and joint pain as they get older. Hip dysplasia can range from a slightly external hip socket to an entirely out-of-place hip.
DDH is most common in first-born females who have had a close relative with the condition or who were turned upside down in the womb.
No one knows what causes hip dysplasia, but many environmental and genetic factors likely play a role.
The baby's response to the mother's hormones during pregnancy is thought to be one of the environmental factors that can cause hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia can also be caused by a tight uterus that stops the baby from moving or puts it in a breech position. Because the baby is in the uterus, it is more likely to affect the left hip than the right.
Another environmental factor is how a baby is held in the first year of life. DDH is less likely in cultures where babies are wrapped around a caretaker, so their hips are spread apart. On the other hand, hip dysplasia is common in cultures where swaddle or papoose babies with their hips out.
Scoliosis is a change in the shape of the spine (spine). It is when the spine curves from side to side. The curve of the back is at least 10 degrees.
When viewed commonly, the spine will seem straight from the back. On the other hand, a child with scoliosis has a spine that looks like an S or C. It might look like the child is tilting to one side. The curve can happen on either the right or left side of the spin. Or it can happen in different places on both sides. It could affect the spine's middle (thoracic) and lower (lumbar) parts.
Most of the time, people have yet to learn what causes scoliosis. It can be present at birth. Or, they can get it as an adult. Most of the time, it affects kids between 10 and 18 years old. More girls than boys tend to get it.
Scoliosis can have various origins, including neurological disorders like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, variations in leg length, hereditary factors, infections, injuries, tumours, and even just the spine's natural curvature.
This disorder is a congenital disability that is the exact opposite of flat feet. When a child has clubfoot, the arch of their foot is too high. Most of the time, this doesn't cause significant problems, but some shoes might be uncomfortable.
Pain is a sign that you need to see a doctor, just like the other problems listed above. The same is true if the disorder interferes with a child's daily life or if the deformity is very noticeable.
Children are sometimes born with legs that are not the same length. Even though a kid with a moderate leg-length disparity probably won't have any trouble keeping up with their peers on the playground, kids with severely unequal leg lengths could have trouble keeping up with them. Disproportionate limb growth can also result from trauma or diseases like polio.
Treatment depends upon the severity. Putting a lift in one shoe can often make up for a slight difference in leg length. However, a child with a more significant difference may benefit from surgery to make their legs the same size. It can be done in several ways, but most of the time, the longer leg stops growing, or its growth is slowed down.
You don't need to worry if your child is showing signs of orthopaedic problems. It's normal, but you should track whether the symptoms are getting better or worse. If the situation worsens, you should see a doctor immediately to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. Don't wait because it could hurt your boy for the rest of his life