Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
(DDH; Congenital Dysplasia/Dislocation of the Hip [CDH]; Congenital Dysplasia of the Hip; Congenital Dislocation of the Hip; Congenital Subluxability of the Hip; Congenital Hip Dysplasia; Congenital Hip Dislocation; Congenital Hip Subluxability; Dysplasia of the Hip, Developmental)
Pronounced: dis-PLAY-zha
Definition
A child born with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) has a displaced or dislocated hip. The ball on the top of the femur (thigh bone) does not fit into the hip socket and is located outside of the socket. The ligaments that bind the ball and socket together stretch. The hip becomes unstable and loose.
The Hip Joint
Causes
The exact cause of DDH is not known. But, how the baby is positioned in the womb may be a factor. Maternal hormones and genetics may also play a role.
Risk Factors
These factors increase your baby’s chance of developing DDH:
- Gender: More common in females than males
- Race: More common among Caucasians
- First-born
- Breech birth (feet first), especially females born in breech position
- Family history of DDH
- Swaddling the baby in a way that can dislocate the hips (more common among Native Americans and Italians)
Tell the doctor if your baby has any of these risk factors.
Symptoms
If your baby has any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to DDH. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions. Tell the doctor if your baby has any of these:
- One leg shorter than the other
- Poor mobility and flexibility
- Limping, lurching, walking on toes, or other unevenness in walk (duck-like gait)
- Uneven folds in the area of the thigh or hip
DDH more commonly affects the left hip. But sometimes both hip joints are affected. The doctor may detect the condition when the baby is born. In other cases, DDH is not diagnosed until the baby starts walking.
Diagnosis
During your baby’s first physical exam , the doctor will screen for DDH. He will gently manipulate the hip area to see if it dislocates. This would be signaled by a clunking or popping noise. Doctors can also check for DDH by placing the baby on his back and checking the height of the knees.
Other tests that may be ordered include:
- X-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the body, especially bones
- Ultrasound—a test that uses sound waves to examine the hips
Treatment
Talk with the doctor about the best treatment plan for your baby. Depending on your baby’s age and the severity of the condition, treatment options include:
- For newborns: harness (called Pavlik harness) to keep hip in place, worn for 1-2 months
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For babies aged 1-6 months:
- Harness to reposition hip
- Manual adjustment—the doctor moves bones into proper positions, and then places baby in a body cast
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For babies aged six months to two years:
- Manual adjustment
- Hip surgery, then body cast
- For children over two years: hip surgery, then body cast
If your baby was diagnosed with DDH at birth, the doctor may not treat the condition until the baby is older than two weeks. This is because DDH improves on its own in some cases.
The doctor will follow-up with hip exams and x-rays until your child is done growing.
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://www.aaos.org/
American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Institute of Child Health
http://www.cich.ca/
Canadian Pediatric Society
http://www.cps.ca/
References:
Civello MF. Developmental dysplasia of the hip. EBSCO Publishing Rehabilitation Reference Center website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=16topicID=860 . Updated August 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008.
Developmental dysplasia of the hip. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00347 . Updated October 2007. Accessed December 1, 2008.
Developmental dysplasia of the hip. EBSCO Publishing DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php . Updated August 2008. Accessed December 1, 2008.
Hart E. Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Massachusetts General Hospital website. Available at: http://www.massgeneral.org/ORTHO/Hip_Dysplasia.htm . Accessed December 1, 2008.
Hart ES, Albright MB, Rebello GN, Grottkau BE. Developmental dysplasia of the hip: nursing implications and anticipatory guidance for parents. Orthopaedic Nursing. 2006;25:100-111.
McCarthy JJ, Scoles PV, MacEwen GD. Developmental dysplasia of hip. EBSCO Publishing Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=16topicID=860 . Updated August 2007. Accessed November 18, 2008.
Shipman SA, Helfand M, Moyer VA, Yawn BP. Screening for development dysplasia of the hip: a systematic literature review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. EBSCO Publishing Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=16topicID=860 . Updated July 2008. Accessed November 18, 2008.
Stedman’s Medical Dictionary . 28th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005; 599-600.
Last reviewed December 2008 by Robert Leach, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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