- How the diagnosis is made
- Treatment for congenital hip dysplasia
- What causes congenital hip dysplasia
Congenital hip dysplasia is an alteration where the baby is born with an imperfect fit between the femur and the hip bone. There are different degrees of this change, where the femur may be only slightly out of the joint or completely out.
This is a serious condition that needs treatment, but when it is discovered soon after birth and when treatment starts early there is a 96% chance of cure in a few months.
Congenital hip dysplasia is curable and the sooner it is diagnosed and treated the faster the cure can be achieved.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of dysplasia should be made as soon as possible and that is why there are 2 orthopedic tests that the pediatrician must do in the first 3 days after birth. But this test must also be repeated at the 8 and 15 days of birth and, in case of suspicion, the pediatrician may request exams such as a hip x-ray or ultrasound to check the fit of the hip.
The tests performed to diagnose hip dysplasia are called the Barlow test and the Ortolani test. In the Barlow test the doctor holds the baby's legs together and folded and presses upwards and in the Ortolani test the doctor holds the baby's legs and checks the amplitude of the hip opening movement. The doctor may conclude that the hip fit is not perfect if you hear a click during the test or feel a bounce, which indicates that the joint has been placed in the correct position.
Treatment for congenital hip dysplasia
The treatment for congenital hip dysplasia should be guided by the pediatrician or orthopedist and can be done in 3 different ways with the use of Pavlik braces, maneuver to position the femur on the hip correctly and use plaster in that position or, in the last case, surgery. Find out all about the treatment here.
What causes congenital hip dysplasia
The causes of congenital hip dysplasia are not fully known, but it is known that babies who spend their entire pregnancy sitting up and not turning upside down are the most affected. When the baby remains seated throughout the pregnancy, the doctor may suggest that a maneuver be performed so that the baby turns upside down, but there are some exercises that can help. See here what they are.
Other risk factors that are present and that can cause the baby to be born with hip dysplasia are when one of the parents had the same disease and when the baby is born with congenital torticollis.
