Late presentation of congenital hip dislocation

[RachelG]

Just wondering if anyone has experience of this. I'm a GP and a paranoid Mum, and I've noticed a couple of things about my 13 month old son.

Whenever he sits, he always has his right knee bent and his left knee straight. He seems to have a more prominent mid-thigh crease on his R side than the L. These are features of CDH.

There's no obvious shortening of the R side, and his mobility is fine - he's just started walking.

All his newborn checks were fine, and he wasn't a breech baby.

Anyone have any thoughts? Are these things that "normal" babies often do? He's my first, and no amount of medical knowledge seems help!

Thanks
Rachel

have you seen your GP?
I know you're a medic, but sometimes helpful to get a non-related professional view?

I would reckon however that if his mobility is fine that is a good sign.
Does he have the same number of skin creases bilaterally?

My 1st daughter had late presenting Cdh, was found at 13 months when she started walking. The crease although a sign is nott always the case and if he is walking ok then It probably ok but I would still go to the gp and ask for a referral to the orthapedic dept for xrays etc...
I went on o have another daughter with cdh found at 6 months by me!!!!! They did ultrasund and said her hip was fine I knew at 6 months i wasnt and insisted on Xrays which showed definate cdh
With both of mine their knees didn't match up although this isn't alwys an indicator.

hth

Hi

I'm going to try and see the GP tomorrow I think.

He has skin creases both sides, but the R side is deeper and more prominent I think. It's hard to be sure though - you know how they wriggle around so much!

The main thing seems to be the way he always sits - L leg straight out, R leg flat on floor but knee bent. I'm not sure if that can just be a normal habit.

Magnolia, can I ask how your 13 month old was first picked up? I know they say "a limp" - but it's impossible to judge that when walking is just starting isn't it.

And can I also ask what treatment she had, and how she is now?

Sorry about the questions, but I've worked myself up into a real state about this!

Try not to worry about it too much. Probably will all be ok, but better to get it checked out.
I have a friend(also Gp) who had her DS's head Ct'd following an increase in his head circumfeance measurements,everything was normal and she laughs about it now, but it was traumatic for her at the time
Sometimes medical knowledge combined with a parent can be frightening

Try not to worry about it too much. Probably will all be ok, but better to get it checked out.
I have a friend(also Gp) who had her DS's head Ct'd following an increase in his head circumfeance measurements,everything was normal and she laughs about it now, but it was traumatic for her at the time
Sometimes medical knowledge combined with a parent can be frightening

sorry,

She did walk with a limp but to be honest I din't realise I just thought it was the normal waddling babies do when they 1st walk. Our gp was a paediatrician beforehand so when he saw her he suspected straightaway and we saw an orthapedic consultant within 2 days!!

She had traction for 2 weeks to stretch the tendons ec... then a small operation to snip the tendons and was put into a hip cast. Ankles to chest in a frog position. Sounds awful but really not that bad I promise. 8 weeks later she had a splint put on that came of just after her 2nd birthday. She is now 11 and fine She does kickboxing and runs well etc...
My other daughter who was 6 months had the same reatment but it was slightly shorter as it was found earlier.

Now I know writing i has probably made you worry more and I am sorry Please don't panic. Siting position and uneven creases is not enough to mean cdh, even slight limping in a newly walking toddler is not enough. If you lay him flat on his back and hold his feet with heels touching floor and soles of his feet facing your body does his knees match up? Are his legs the same length? If yes then I really don't think it is cdh (Not a doctor though!!!)

Go to gp and ask for a referral

Take care xxxx