Question
A 20-month-old girl has been noticed to walk with her right leg shorter and adopt a duck-like gait, often using her left leg for support while standing. Additionally, the skin patterns on her buttocks are not prominent, and her right leg is more flexible. She has visited two hospitals for checks, and X-ray results have shown normal, yet there is still concern about potential misdiagnosis. Can X-rays serve as a definitive diagnosis?
Answer
Congenital Hip Dislocation (Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip, DDH) is a condition affecting children’s health, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. The effectiveness of treatment is optimal during infancy, with increasing difficulty as age advances. For newborns, a general survey should be conducted to facilitate early detection and treatment. Clinical examinations help with initial diagnosis, but confirmation relies on X-rays. For infants under 6 months old, a combination of anteroposterior pelvis X-ray and frog position X-ray is often required for diagnosis. For children over 6 months old, a single anteroposterior pelvis X-ray can be sufficient for confirmation. For older children, CT and MRI scans can help understand the bone condition of the femoral head and acetabulum as well as the condition of the soft tissues within the hip joint. It’s important to note that if not treated promptly, even if the hip joint function appears normal in adulthood, hip joint pain may occur after the age of 35. Therefore, early detection and treatment are key.