The most important things to know when a new member arrives at your family
In the rapture of addition of the newest member of our family we celebrate but we also wish to ensure the baby gets the best of care. Here is a list of things that must be taken into account from orthopaedic point of view. Consult your paediatrician and get the baby properly examined and weighed, ask for :
Most importantly discuss about future lookout points if there were trubles during child birth like:
Most importantly always compare with the opposite side to be extra sure.
Remember most problems solve if u diagnose early
How is it treated ?
You must get the baby examined by an orthopaedician as soon as possible. The universally accepted “Ponseti” correction method is started as soon as possible after birth and it consist of manipulation and weekly plaster cast application on the affected limb.
What can you expect?
The treatment universally adopted for club foot corrects most of the cases, However it is not a guarantee of cure. Your orthopaedician will discuss the prognosis of your baby only after proper evaluation and it may vary case to case.
Spina bifida or spinal dysraphism is a condition in which one or more of the vertebra (bones guarding your spinal column in a protective arch) fail to fuse (form completely). This condition along with a host of other disorders can often be diagnosed or predicted even before the baby is born using modern diagnostic tools, for which you can consult your gynaecologist and paediatrician.
What do you see?
This is what do you see in cross section. If you are suspicious about this consult your paediatrician and neurosurgeon for management advice. As this condition often comes as a package deal with various other limb problems it is prudent to consult a competent orthopaedician for a thorough check-up.
This is a congenital hipjoint anomaly that causes the child to keep the entire affected limb in a peculiar position, you may also hear a clicking sound from hip if you try to move the limb form that position.
What to do?
This condition is best managed within 6 months of age, and often become really difficult to cure in older age groups. You should consult your orthopaedician for consultation of proper management protocol of this problem as soon as u suspect it. From complete cure to disability remaining upto adulthood, this condition has a wide range of prognosis depending on the severity.
Wry neck is a congenital condition often associated with minor birth injuries to neck
What to do?
This is another problem that should be managed early to avoid future disability that invariably amounts to disfigurement of face, eyesight problems and many more. Some cases are often cured with certain orthosis while others would need surgery, depending on severity and cause of the problem. Delay in consultation and planning in these cases is inviting catastrophe.
What is it?
Orthopaedic infections can broadly divided into 2 common types:
What to do?
What is it?
A bone swelling can be of many types and severity and it’s not possible to draw up a comprehensive patient guide in a few lines, however some general points in this regard are helpful
What is it?
Inspired my TV or films caregivers often try to swing a child by holding his/her forearm. This is an absolute NO-NO for children of most age groups especially so in the early years as this action can precipitate many different kinds of injury to wrist, elbow or shoulder commonest of which is a pulled elbow.
The injured child will hold the forearm and elbow in a peculiar position and cries on attempts to move it from positionWhat to do?
The child has to be taken to a paediatrician for immediate reduction
Prognosis
This is usually a curable condition. In most cases of nursemaid's elbow, the doctor will gently move the bones back into normal position. The medical term for this procedure is "reduction." The doctor will hold the child's wrist or forearm and turn the hand so that it faces palm up. While putting pressure near the top of the radius bone with his or her thumb, the doctor will slowly bend the elbow. A faint pop or click may be heard when the joint goes back into place.
What is it?
A paediatric trauma is different from adult trauma in 2 ways:There are 3 basic aspects of any limb trauma
What to do?
The Wound
The Fracture
These are signs of extreme emergency and patient has to be rushed to a hospital or your nearest orthopaedician within 30 minutes of trauma.
Most paediatric trauma is more forgiving and faster healing than their adult counterpart (described in the trauma & emergency section) once the emergency period is over.