10 month old with one leg longer than the other!

[Deb2202]

Hi, my 10 month old baby was admitted to hospital for observation for a virus, whilst there the nurses measured his length and found one leg was 1cm longer than the other! Along with uneven leg creases.

I'm waiting for a letter to come through to take him for an xray but obviously am now worrying myself sick incase it is a hip problem.

I think he's developing well, he crawls normally with nothing looking wonky and is standing/weight bearing and cruising around furniture. He is a little spaghetti legged and on toes when walking holding our hands but he is v young.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Would a hip problem not be effecting crawling/standing/cruising?

Thanks

I don't know anything about leg length discrepancy (LLD) in children, but I do know that in adults it is quite common, and many people don't even know they have it. Up to an inch is unlikely to need anything more than a heel lift inside the shoe. There are many reasons for LLD, it isn't neccessarily a hip problem. Try not to worry (easier said than done, I know).

Thanks for the reply yes you are right about the leg length and also I think it's hard to work out a difference as sometimes one looks longer and other times the other does depending on how he is lying/wriggling! I've also had him checked out by our gp a few weeks ago due to the uneven creases and he gave him a good look over and laid him out in the same way and all was well he didn't see the need for any further investigations. It certainly isn't an exact science and I think an X-ray to get to the bottom of it is the way forward.

I just think there is something wired in my brain that makes me think the worst!

I would just keep an eye on it. DD3 has issues due to previous illness and they have been monitoring her legs for a couple of years now. Her leg length issues have become slightly worse in the last 12 months but are still subtle and currently the plan is to review in another year. They don't like to do that much that soon with these things from what I can make out and the doctors seem far less worried than I am about it all! DD is nearly 4. If you are worried things are getting worse then ask the GP for a referral to a paediatric orthopaedic consultant, if nothing else to reassure you.

My niece was discovered to have a dislocated hip around this age; her mum noticed one leg was longer than the other. She'd been a breech birth and apparently it's common with these.

It was treated with a kind of plaster cast in the shape of a pair of trousers (this was 20 years ago though). I think she wore them for quite a few months. But she wasn't in hospital or anything just a bit heavy to cart around. She was a later walker as a result.

She's an adult now and although her mum was always reluctant to let her do anything that might put pressure on the hip e.g. gymnastics, she's perfectly mobile and healthy.

If it is this, I think it can cause problems with mobility if it's not treated young. The x-ray should tell you.

Thanks for the replies! Yes a hip problem was my concern, I had been consulting dr google which mentioned casts and braces.

It would be awful if it was but like you say best to get it sorted out as soon as possible and get it on the mend!

I was born with one leg longer than the other. I'm 39 now, so I have no idea what the treatment would be, nor do I know if there are different causes for it. Ihad an operation when I was around 7 where they stretched the tendon in my shorter leg.

I do have a sizeable scar up the back of my leg and along my foot, but I think surgery has advanced since then. Apart from poorer balance on that leg, I have no issues with it. When I was little I used to trip over all the time.

It MAY be a hip problem (which will show up with xray) but it may not be! My DD has one leg longer, it's never caused her any problems at all. (shes nearly 6) when she has a growth spurt they even up and getting shoes can sometimes be a pain - but then i just have to get her measured again a few weeks later! She sometimes looks like shes limping a little but is never in any discomfort with it. I don't know how they will end up when she stops growing!

You sort of build it into the routine - it isn't really much of a problem. Just a bit shocking at first.

dislocated hips can show as this. my dd was born with dislocated hips and was in a special harness for 6 weeks she was breech and it can cause this. I do know of other children on who it was picked up older -around the year. They had the plaster as described And the problem was solved. i'm not saying thats what could be wrong but just if it is the treatment is inconveinent but not bad or for a very long time. i can't offer any other advice but i'm sure plenty of others will have had other relevant experiences.

Thanks for sharing your stories, it's been 6 days and no letter for the X-ray so going to chase them up.

If it does end up worst case how do you manage with the casts? Can they go in car seats/buggys? Can they move/crawl or are they totally immobile?

I must repeat to myself not to worry about something that hasn't happened yet!

Sorry Deb I can't really remember as it was such a long time ago. I don't think my niece was that mobile to start with. I remember her being in the buggy with the cast. It wasn't that big and bulky. Just a bit heavy - but they may well have lighter versions by now. Yes don't worry yet - it may not be the case. But just wanted you to know that if it is the case, it really isn't that bad. It was fairly temporary tbh and she was absolutely fine afterwards.