Irritable hips or something else? Advice please can't stop worrying!

[Undertheboredwalk]

DS is 18months old and is currently on day 3 of chicken pox, yesterday we were playing in the garden and he was bouncing on the trampoline, he fell forwards onto his tummy and squished his face into the safety net and cried out, he then cried for a solid 10 mins afterwards and was shaky, he never cries and gets over little hurts easily so I knew something was wrong, I realised half an hour later (because he wouldn't let me put him down until then!) that he couldn't stand, he kept trying to get up and then crumpling and crying :( took him to A+E Dr checked his legs and he didn't cry out at all, they laid him down and opened his legs and he screamed, but then sat on my knee Dr was able to rotate his hips fully without any apparent discomfort, they gave him ibuprofen and left him an hour, and came to see if he was improved at all after that, there was slight improvement in that he could stand for a second or two before dropping down, they said is irritable hips brought on by chicken pox and sent us off with instructions to keep him on ibuprofen.
He has improved a bit, can stand for a few second more but he does it leaning against sofas etc he won't stand independently, and he's reverted to crawling won't even try walking.
I've read up on irritable hips and it does sound like it could be that, but there was such an acute cry of pain when he fell, was running around as normal before and can't walk since, it seems far to coincidental surely? They didn't do X-rays or any tests beyond the dr rotating his legs. We have a follow up app on Monday and I'm wondering if I should be pushing for an X-ray at least or is this a normal onset of irritable hips? Am I being overprotective and crazy!?
Anybody with any experience help?

[Emochild]

That's exactly how dd's irritable hips started -excepted she ended up screaming on the floor following a nap and we thought she had fallen out of bed and hurt her leg

Dd had an ultrasound on her hips 2 days later at a follow up appointment but no X-rays

[Undertheboredwalk]

Thanks Emo, so it can just come on suddenly like that? it's all so worrying, I'd never heard of irritable hips before its horrible to see him hurting so much and not able to walk :(

[SugarPlumTree]

DS woke with it and was unable to stand amd was crying with pain, he was older in Year 3. We had to carry him into GP who saud irritable hip and take nurofen. It improved but then he did PE and it started again. Saw different GP who was cross the other hadn't sent him to hospital to be checked and rang immediately to have someone from Orthopaedics waiting for us at A&E as it was possibly something else that would have needed immediate attention.

He was xrayed and then admitted but we were allowed to sleep at home then come back to see Consultant on ward round next morning who decided irritable hip, rest for 2 weeks and nurofen. Went back to be checked and he was slightly limping so had MRI to rule out Perthes but was ok.

[Undertheboredwalk]

Thanks Sugar, that's my worry really, that it could possibly be something else, especially after an apparent injury. It seems so odd to not at least X-ray and check? But I don't know if I'm just being overprotective and not understand how irritable hips works. I don't want to be annoying demanding tests that aren't needed!

[SugarPlumTree]

The GP rotated DS's hip and it wasn't moving as he would like it to which was why he suspected the other thing which I can't remember.

I'm guessing that because your DS's hips have got the movement expected plus he has had chicken pox that they're pretty confident it is irritable hip.

for you, it is horrible, I still feel really guilty as I didn't hear DS calling for us for half an hour (no monitor as he was 8) and he really was in agony.

I always think you should trust your instinct though. If you feel it is something more then for peace of mind get him looked at again. It did take a fair bit of rest for DS and we were very careful getting him back to PE after the relapse.

[Undertheboredwalk]

Thanks sugar you've really helped me to stop worrying so much :) I'll re question on Monday the chances of it being something other needing an x-Ray etc but I think I'm happier now that it probably is his hips and it just needs time. Poor little thing has just had an explosion of spots too, I thought he was getting away with not too many but no, I feel awful for him poor little thing, he has no idea what's happening to him :(

[SugarPlumTree]

Very hard at that age, at least we could explain to DS. I hope he improves very soon.

[Emochild]

I think the thing they worry about is septic arthritis

Dd was back at tumble tots after 2 weeks so try not to worry too much

[hotandbothered24]

My son had this twice , after a chest infection and then with chickenpox it came on quite suddenly both times but they did an x-Ray the first time. We were told that if it happens several times there is an increased risk of arthritis long term. It did settle after a few days both times .