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Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip Discharge Instructions, Child


About this topic


Developmental dysplasia of the hip is when your babys hip does not fit snugly in the socket. The socket holds the bone in place. It happens before, during, or weeks after your baby is born. The hip socket is too low and it makes the leg bone slip in and out of the socket. The leg bone may only partly slip out or all of it may slip out of the socket. This condition is more common among girls. ‚  
Treatment depends on how old your child is. Your child may have surgery or the doctor may use a harness to support the hip. The harness is called the Pavlik harness. ‚  


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What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
  • If your child has a Pavlik harness:
    • Ask the doctor about how to wear the harness.
    • Your baby should wear the harness all the time unless your doctor allows you to remove it at certain times.
    • Keep the harness clean and dry.
    • You can give your baby a sponge bath if the harness cannot be removed.
    • If your doctor allows you to remove the harness when bathing your baby, dry the skin well before putting the harness back on.
    • Check your childs skin often for any signs of irritation or redness around the harness.
    • Do not hold your baby's knees together when changing a diaper. This will help to avoid movement of the hips from the correct position.
    • When feeding your baby, find a comfortable position for both of you.
    • You can do tummy time even if your baby wears a harness.
    • Wash the harness if needed. You can wash it with cold water and soap. You can use a hair dryer on low heat to dry it.
    • Do not tumble dry the harness.

  • If your child had surgery, talk to your doctor about how to care for your child's cut site. Ask your doctor about:
    • When you should change your child's bandages
    • When your child may take a bath or shower
    • When your child may go back to normal activities like school or daycare
  • Apply a warm compress to help relieve pain and swelling.
  • Your child's doctor may order drugs for pain and infection. Give the drugs as ordered by your doctor.

  • If your child has a cast:
    • Keep the cast clean and dry.
    • Check for any cracks or breaks in the cast.
    • Put padding on the rough edges to protect your baby's skin from scratches.
    • Do not put anything under the cast.
    • Do not put powder or lotion inside the cast.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • If your child has a cast or harness, the doctor will tell you when it can be removed.
  • The doctor may order an x-ray to check your child's condition.
  • If you have stitches or staples, they will need to be taken out. The doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
  • Your child may need to see a physical therapist. The therapist will help your child regain strength and restore range of motion to the bones.

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling
  • Prevent infection

Will physical activity be limited?


This illness can affect how a child walks. There may be delays learning to crawl, walk, or with other movements that use the hips. ‚  

What problems could happen?


  • Hip pain
  • Hip damage
  • One leg may be longer than the other

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, or wound that will not heal.
  • Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
  • Very bad pain
  • Swelling around the cast
  • Cast gets damaged or breaks
  • Your child loses balance when walking

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my childs condition.
  • I can tell you how to care for my child's hips and harness, cast, or cut site.
  • I can tell you what I will do if my child has more pain or swelling around the cast.

Where can I learn more?


American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚  
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00347 ‚  
KidsHealth ‚  
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bones/ddh.html# ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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