Pediatric orthopedics is a medical specialty dedicated to diagnosing and treating muscle, bone, joint conditions and injuries in children. Pediatric orthopedic specialists at Beaumont Children’s treat many disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Orthopedic specialists offer a variety of treatments, ranging from physical therapy and medication to pediatric orthopedic surgery.
Some of the more common orthopedic conditions they treat are:
Overuse injuries
Overuse injuries in children occur when children engage in repetitive motion, often during sports activities, and don’t have enough time to heal between activities. Because children’s bodies are growing and changing, they are more susceptible
to the effects of over doing it. Overuse injuries can get in the way of normal growth and can have long-term health consequences. If your child regularly complains of pain after sports activities, make sure he or she rests between days of sports,
and bring your child to the doctor if pain persists.
- Pain is the most common symptoms of overuse injuries. Other symptoms include:
- Discomfort
- Swelling
- Differences in how your child plays (alters form or technique during play)
- Decreased desire to practice
- Some common overuse injuries are:
- Tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Sever’s disease
- Jumper’s knee
- Throwing injuries to the shoulder or elbow
- Stress fractures
Congenital defects and deformities
Orthopedic congenital defects and deformities include several types of conditions that develop during gestation. These conditions can affect a child’s bones, muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Some of the congenital conditions Beaumont Children’s
diagnose and treat are:
- Clubfoot
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)
- Spine deformities, including scoliosis and kyphosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Defects of the arms or legs
- Bone infections
- Osteogenesis imperfecta (also known as brittle bone disease)
- Leg-length issues
Signs and symptoms of orthopedic congenital defects include:
- Twisting, bowing, or curvature of the spine
- Visible problems with the limbs
- Fragile bones that break easily
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Limited movement or difficult movement
Treatment for congenital defects might include:
- Braces, casts, or splints to help align bones or joints
- Surgery to correct abnormalities
- Physical therapy to increase range of motion and improve strength
- Occupational therapy to help with mechanical life skills, like eating, dressing, or walking
Joint and bone infections
Bacteria and fungi can infect bones and joints in children, which can cause inflammation and pain. These infections, which include osteomyelitis and septic arthritis, are considered deep infections because they occur deep within the body, usually in bones
and joints. Infections of the muscles can also occur.
Antibiotics are usually effective at clearing these infections if they are caught early enough. However, some children need surgery to clean out the infection. In children, bone and joint infections tend to occur in the arms and legs.
Symptoms of these infections may include:
- Fever
- Pain
- Swelling, warmth, or redness near the infection site
- Limited movement of the affected limb
Infants who have bone or joint infections may be lethargic or irritable. They may also have decreased appetite, refusing to eat or vomiting if they do eat.
These infections may occur after an injury, so the symptoms might be written off as being part of the healing process. If your child has any of the above symptoms, bring him or her to the doctor right away. If any symptoms don’t improve quickly
at home, call the doctor. The longer you wait to get treatment, the more difficult the infection can be to treat, and the infections can lead to long-term problems.
Your child’s doctor will look for signs of infection by doing a physical examination and asking questions about signs and symptoms. An official diagnosis may require tests, including bone scans, needle aspiration, blood tests, tissue cultures, x-ray,
MRI, or ultrasound.
Gait abnormalities and walking delay
Gait is a medical term to describe the way someone walks. Many children have an abnormal gait for the first few years, and some children have a walking delay. For many children, this will improve on its own without any intervention. However, some children
need treatment to correct an abnormal gait or walking delay.
There are several types of gait abnormalities, including intoeing (feet pointing inward), outtoeing (feet pointing outward), toe walking, and limping.
Intoeing and outtoeing are the most common gait abnormalities. There are several causes, including:
- Tibial torsion (turning of the lower leg bone either inward or outward), which normally improves by age 4. Sometimes doctors may recommend a brace at night for children between 18 and 30 months, but surgery is usually not done until a child is at
least 8 years old and still experiencing the gait abnormality.
- Femoral torsion (turning of the upper leg bone either inward or outward), which tends to be most obvious between 5 and 6 years of age, can improve without treatment. Most doctors recommend delaying surgery until a child is at least 9 and has a severe
gait abnormality that causes significant tripping or an obvious gait problem.
- Bowlegs or knock-knees are common, but they usually straighten out as children grow.
- Flat feet are normal in children under age 5 because foot arches don’t develop until after that age. Flat feet can cause gait abnormalities, but this cause won’t be treated in children under 5.
- Metatarsus adductus, which is a birth defect that is characterized by feet that are bent inward from the middle of the foot to the toe. This condition tends to improve on its own, so babies aren’t treated until they are at least several months
old. Treatment includes exercises and casts or corrective shoes. Pediatric orthopedic doctors usually have success treating babies between the ages of 6 and 9 months.
Bone tumors (both cancerous and non-cancerous)
Bone tumors can be cancerous or non-cancerous. At Beaumont Children’s, we diagnose and treat all types of bone tumors and bone cysts. Some of the types of tumors we treat are:
- Osteoid osteoma
- Osteoblastoma
- Osteochondroma
- Chondroblastoma
- Simple bone cysts (unicameral)
- Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC)
- Osteosarcoma
- Ewing’s sarcoma
Non-cancerous bone tumors are much more common than cancerous bone tumors, and their treatments vary widely depending on type of tumor whether it has spread beyond the primary site. Cancer treatments usually include some combination of chemotherapy, radiation
therapy, and surgery. Non-cancerous bone tumor treatment ranges from watchful waiting and observing the tumor for changes to surgery to remove the tumor.
Pediatric orthopedics at Beaumont
The pediatric orthopedic specialists at Beaumont can help your child with a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions – from sports-related injuries to complex congenital conditions. We treat the muscles, bones, and joints all over the body, including
hips, knees, legs, feet, back, spine, neck, wrists, hands, fingers, and more.
Whether your child has a broken arm or a severe congenital defect or developmental delay, we can help. Our multidisciplinary team works together to offer both medical treatment and pediatric orthopedic surgery for orthopedic conditions.
For a referral to a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, call 855-480-KIDS (855-480-5437) or find one online.