Pediatric Orthopedics: Bone Conditions Commonly Found in Children

Pediatric orthopedic illnesses are very common in child athletes. In the majority of cases of these conditions, the abnormalities are simply alternative forms of typical development, and as the child grows, the deformities start correcting themselves. In the majority of cases, there is no treatment required as the condition corrects itself; however, in some cases, medical treatment is required because the problem may be caused by worst problems; some are even caused by the physical activities of the child athlete.

Hip Dysplasia

One common pediatric orthopedic condition is known as developmental hip dysplasia, which is also referred to as DHD. With this condition, there is a dislocation of the hip at birth; each person experiences a different degree of dislocation. Some individuals can live perfectly normal lives with this condition, but others do need some medical help to be able to have full mobility. Out of 1,000 live births, there are two to four cases of DHD reported, and females have higher chances of developing this condition. The prognosis for DHD is very good: children who are 6 months and younger have a 98% chance of successfully recovering, and children 2 to 16 have an 80% to 90% chance of recovery.

In-toe Gait

Another pediatric orthopedic condition is known as an in-toe gait; however, this condition is commonly referred to as "pigeon toe". Children who are 2 to 5 years of age have higher chances of developing this condition, and research concludes that 10% of children in that age group have this condition. If the child has no pain, stiffness or symmetrical deformities, then the chances of correcting this deformity are high. The good news with this condition is that the majority of children who suffer from it have it corrected by the time they're nine.

Knock Knees

A condition known as knock knees is also highly common in children. Knock knees go inward, which can cause physical limitations. In addition, some children with knock knees feel some pain in their joints and have difficulties with their mobility. Rickets and other similar treatment options can be used to repair this condition. Another similar condition to knock knees is bow legs. Bow legs are different from knock knees because they go outward, which resemble the way English bulldogs are built. Just like knock knees, bow legs can be treated with rickets and similar items.

Flat Foot

A troublesome but common childhood problem is known as flat foot. There are two types of flat foot: rigid and flexible. The flexible flat foot doesn't cause any mobility problems, so medical treatment is uncommon for it; although some people do make walking more comfortable by adding special insoles to their shoes. The rigid flat foot is a whole new story: medical treatment is required because, as its name implies, the rigid flat foot causes mobility difficulties. The treatment for this condition has caused some controversy, but there are ways to correct the problem with minimal discomfort.

Overall, pediatric orthopedic issues can be corrected if treatment is started early on. If your child is suffering from one of these conditions, the best thing to do is get treatment from a bone specialist as early as possible in order to minimize effects.