What do you think this could be? Non-weight bearing toddler.

[nimbs]

Not sure if anyone can help or not - about a month ago, I ended up staying in hosp. with my dd as she wouldn't put any weight on her right leg, she'd woken up in the morning and couldn't walk on it, though bless her she was trying. After being referred to A&E, and numerous x-rays they thought she had a minute crack in her ankle, put in a half plaster over night. Cut a long story short, the consultant looked at her in the morning, ordered the plaster to be taken off and she walked fine on it the next day. He couldn't see the crack on the xray, if it was even there.

Anyway, this then happened again a couple of weeks later, it seemed as if she was doing the same thing, though this time she was putting weight on her leg, it was the left leg this time, she wasn't walking normally iyswim - ie running after big bro, she was walking a lot more gingerly, and crawling again which is unheard of here. We went to the doctor where she wouldn't weight bear and went of to hospital again. They couldn't find anything wrong - suggested it may be due to the cold she had.

Well she's started doing it again this morning and am now working myself into a lather whether it is something more serious. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this before. She's just 18 months old - and again has a cold - could it be this virus? I don't know what to do for the best. Thank you.

[luciemule]

Hi- not meaning to worry you but my 5 yr old had exactly the same thing earlier this year.
I took her to the GP when she couldn't walk on her leg who immediately sent her to the paeds department at the hospital.
They thought it could be an infected hip from a cold virus she may have had.
The reason they admitted her so soon was there is a disease called Perthes Syndrome which can mean deterioration of the hip joint. The pain can radiate into the knee, thigh or around the hip and the person can't use that leg.

After a scan and numerous x-rays, they found fluid around her hip and she had to stay in hospital overnight to make sure it wasn't Perthes syndrome.I would take your DD stright back to the GP and suggest an infected hip and see what they say.
If she still can't walk on it and the GP disagrees, I would take her to A & E.
I had never heard of infected hips in kids before but you need to make sure it isn't Perthes Syndrome.
Hope it's none of the above and something less stressfull.

[tissy]

Perthes disease usually affects boys of 5-10 yrs, it can affect girls, and can start younger, but it's rare. Not the first thing to worry about.

If it has previously got better overnight, it is probably "irritable hip" with is a response to a viral infection. The infection isn't actually in the hip joint, but it "comes out in sympathy". Check her temperature, if it's normal, don't panic. If she's otherwise well, eating, drinking, playing happily and not complaining of pain, then make an appointment with GP to get her checked over. If she's ill- has a temperature, off her food, disturbed sleep, not happy take her to the nearest children's A+E.

[tissy]

irritable hip ignore the bit where it says complete rest for 1 -2 weeks.

[luciemule]

Not contradicting what you're saying Tissy but there was a possiblilty that with the irritable hip my dd had, they would have to drain off the fluid by operating if her temp didn't come down and the fluid didn't subside. Fotunately it did but she had to go back 3 times in the following months to make sure it didn't reoccur as the consultant said that it could still potentially be Perthes Syndrome even without anymore pain. They were very keen about keeping an eye on it.

I didn't mean to worry nimbs but just thought the hospital wouldn't have been so thorough if there was nothing to worry about or they weren't concerned.

[nimbs]

thank you all so much for your replies. She's 100% better this morning - and i'm not so wobbly either! The GP thought it may be what Tissy said - so crossed fingers it won't happen again. Thank you once again for all your replies.

[summer111]

I think there's a difference between irritable hip and an infected hip - my ds had an irritable hip about four years ago. Had it been an infected hip, he would have needed surgery to open the joint and drain off the pus gathered. However, it was an irritable hip, which was the result of a very heavy headcold. It was explained to me that the virus causing his cold spread to the hip joint and aggrivated it - a bit like an arthritic joint. My extremely active boy was unabvle to move his leg without screaming in pain and needed a two day stay in hospital while they diagmnosed his condition and then waited for him to be able to walk again. The treatment was both paracetamol and anti-inflamatories every four hours (day and night). After he was discharged home he was not supposed to be active on his leg, thus enabling the joint could recover - so the rest element is important.

[summer111]

sorry for the typos; I've had too many glasses of mulled wine at this afternoon's school xmas fair!!!

[tissy]

yes there is a difference between infected and irritable hip. If the hip is sore, but child is otherwise well, then irritable is more likely. If there is a bacterial infection contained within the hip, the child is unwell, usually has a temperature, off food, etc. Bacterial infections need to be treated urgently. Irritable hip goes away on it's own, and though rest won't do any harm, there's no evidence that it does any good either! It's very difficult to keep a child that age still if they feel fine! They tend to limit themselves at that age.

The difficulty is telling the difference sometimes, which is why some children with irritable hip get kept in hospital till it's more obvious.