Perthes

[nevermore]

Hi, this is on behalf of a friend who's DS has Perthes. He is 7 years and the hip joint is now disintegrating & the surgeon recommends surgery but says the decision is up to the parents. He said that the surgery reduces the risk of the hip 'popping out' but not by much. Does anyone have any experience of the surgery and whether or not they would recommend it?

bumping for you

Bumping for you, because I know there are MN-ers who have been through this.

Also - have you tried the STEPS website? It has a forum for parents of children with lower-limb conditions.

Thanks folks, my friend has decided on having the surgery & he goes in on Weds. A horrid six weeks ahead but hopefully after that recovery begins. Thanks for your thoughts.

My 5 year old son has just been diagnosed with Perthes, literally we found out yesterday. He has a severe case of it, the hip subluxes all the time so the very deformed and reduced femoral head is never in the socket. We are waiting to see the orthopaedic consultant next Wednesday and are already fidning it very hard to stop him running etc despite his terrible limp. Feel SO worried, guilty, anxious, sad for him....cannot imagine my little boy having surgery so am hoping against hope that they will suggest non-surgical route when we see the consultant next week. But from the x-rays the paediatrician we saw seemed to think surgery would be the way forward. Does anyone else on here ahve experience of this? Any stories of how things have gone for your child? What treatment was chosen, how long any degree of recovery took etc etc...I jjust feel totally knocked for six and really hopeless at the moment. Poor DS!