Bone and Joint Related Disorders in Children

Your child's issues will often gradually go away or disappear on their own. However, some of the conditions require surgery, like casts or limb braces. 

There might be other reasons that you will want to see your doctor:

1. Injury while playing sports
2. Injuries / Issues in the backbone
3. Problem while walking or standing
4. Damage to nerves

The Doctor's Perspective 

During the first visit to the doctor, they might want to:

1. Look at the previous medical history of your child.
2. Examine the current conditions.
3. Ask you and your child about the symptoms and issues faced.
4. Prescribe medical tests for your child, such as X-rays.

Once your doctor has diagnosed the problem, he will discuss a treatment or recovery plan for your child.

Medical Conditions Associated With Pediatric-Orthopaedics

There are various common medical conditions related to Pediatric Orthopedics, such as in-toeing, knock knees, bow legs, flat foot and rickets. Most of these conditions are self-healing and do not require treatment as the child develops. If the illness persists, a proper diagnosis and treatment are also recommended to rule out the possibility of any other diseases.

In-Toeing(Pigeon-toed):

1. In this condition, the feet of the children turn inward-pointing toward each other.
2. Many experts, however, believe it is typical for babies' toes to curve inward throughout the first half of their lives. A visit to the doctor is required if the issue persists after three years of age.
3. This issue is usually caused by the growth of your child's femur and other bones in their legs.
4. If the disease persists after a year, the child's bones may become permanently disabled; thus, consulting a doctor is always a good idea.

Bowlegs:  

1. It is the most common paediatric orthopaedic condition found in children.
2. In this condition, the legs of the child start bending inwards.
3. It is prevalent in toddlers younger than two years of age and is rarely symptomatic.
4. If the disease persists after a year, the child's bones may become permanently disabled; thus, consulting a doctor is always good.

Knock Knees: 

1. It affects the kids of age around 2-4.
2. It occurs primarily in children who are obese.
3. This condition is the reverse of bow legs, where the legs turn outwards. 
4. It is most prevalent in children under the age of five.
5. However, it has been found that almost all children experience moderate levels of this condition in the initial years of their growth.
6. This condition can also arise if the bones in the child's leg witnesses some irregular growth.
7. An X-ray might be examined to confirm and rule out any other issue that might have caused this situation since many experts associate this condition with flat feet.

Flat Foot: 

1. It is a postural deformity 
2. Instead of forming an arch, the lower side of your child's feet forms a straight line.
3. Primarily prevalent in childhood and usually fade as the child grows older.
4. Symptoms include - pain, swelling, or stiffness affecting the arch of the feet, legs, and sometimes the back.
5. The number of children who experience problems as they grow up due to this ailment is minimal.

Rickets: 

1. It occurs in children due to softening of bones, primarily because of vitamin D deficiency.
2. Vitamin D helps the human body to absorb calcium and other nutrients from the food that substantially increase the strength of a child's bones.
3. As your child grows and adds weight, the bones may become too weak to support their weight, bending or deforming.
4. Symptoms:
   1. Stunted growth
   2. Weakness in bones around the hip region, spine and legs.
   3. Pain in the bone or joints.
   4. They might also develop bent legs, like in the case of Bow Legs.
5. Treatment: 
   1. Diet rich in vitamin D and other nutrients. 
   2. Calcium or vitamin supplements.
   3. Other medications based upon case.
   4. Physical therapy is the first treatment done with the help of parents. The therapist teaches the parent or the caregiver how to massage and stretch the right muscles. The most crucial strategy in this treatment is positioning the baby in a car and stroller.

Conclusion

Therefore, the troubles that your child develops throughout this stage of life are primarily due to the rapid expansion of their bones and entire physique, as noticed. After diagnosis, treatments like stretching, serial manipulation, and casting are used to fix the structure. Furthermore, most of the concerns have no long-term impact on your child's overall growth and development.

In most cases, these conditions resolve on their own or with the help of modest drugs prescribed by your child's doctor.