Pediatric orthopedics is a medical specialty focusing on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal (bone, joint, and muscle) problems in infants, children, and adolescents. The common conditions treated by pediatric orthopedists include:
- Fractures: Broken bones are quite common in children due to falls and sports injuries.
- Growth Plate Injuries: Injuries to the growth plate (the area of growing tissue near the ends of the long bones in children and adolescents).
- Scoliosis: A sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty.
- Clubfoot: A congenital condition where a newborn’s foot or feet appear to be rotated internally at the ankle.
- Hip Dysplasia: A condition in which the hip socket doesn’t fully cover the ball portion of the upper thighbone, allowing the hip joint to become partially or completely dislocated.
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: A childhood condition that occurs when blood supply to the ball part (femoral head) of the hip joint is temporarily interrupted and the bone begins to die.
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease: A condition causing pain and swelling below the knee joint, where the patellar tendon attaches to the shinbone (tibia).
- Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE): A condition affecting the hip in which the ball at the head of the femur (thighbone) slips off in a backward direction due to weakness of the growth plate.
- Cerebral Palsy Orthopedic Issues: Addressing musculoskeletal disorders associated with cerebral palsy, such as muscle weakness, spasticity, and joint problems.
- Sports Injuries: Including sprains, strains, and overuse injuries.
- Bowlegs and Knock-Knees: Conditions where the legs curve outward or inward, respectively, causing an unusual stance and gait.
- Flat Feet: A condition where the arches on the inside of the feet are flattened, allowing the entire sole to touch the floor when standing.
Pediatric orthopedists not only focus on the physical treatment of these conditions but also take into consideration the growth and development aspects unique to children and adolescents. Treatment strategies may include the use of casts or splints, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery
