Ultrasound of a child’s hip joints. What does the test look like and when? [WE EXPLAIN]

Proven content

The birth of a child is always a revolution in the lives of young parents. A new member of the family makes check-ups with doctors a daily routine. One of the most important tests that must be performed in a newborn baby is ultrasound of the hip joints. Why are they performed and what does the examination look like?

Why is an ultrasound of a baby’s hips important?

The condition of the child’s hip joints will significantly affect his motor development and learning to walk. Diagnosing abnormalities at an early stage allows for the appropriate early introduction of exercises that will improve the condition of the joints. That is why timely execution is so important Hip ultrasound.

For the first time, your baby’s hips are checked right after birth. The neonatologist assessing the general condition of the newborn, which will be reflected in the points assigned to the child on the Apgar scale, also assesses any dysfunctions of bones and joints, including the hips. Specialists believe that in addition to this examination, the child should undergo ultrasound of the hips three times:

1. after the child turns 6 weeks of age, but not later than before the age of 12 weeks;
2. after 3 months of age;
3. when the child starts to walk independently or when we are concerned about the way he or she moves.
4. after the child turns 6 weeks of age, but not later than before the age of 12 weeks;
5. after 3 months of age;
6. when the child starts to walk independently or when we are concerned about the way he or she moves.

A child’s hip ultrasound is performed in pre-luxation clinic. We can do them privately, and if we want a refund, a referral is needed. In the second case, due to the long deadlines, it is worth enrolling the child for the first hip examination, which should be performed between the 6th and 12th week, right after birth.

What is ultrasound?

The ultrasound examination is performed using an ultrasound scanner – a device that mainly consists of a head attached to the body and a monitor, on which the image of the internal tissues of the human body appears. The operation of the ultrasound scanner is based on the use of ultrasound waves, which, unlike the X-rays used in X-ray examinations, are completely safe and do not affect the functioning of the body.

With a head ultrasonic wavesinaudible to the human ear, they penetrate the skin and deep into the body. There, they bounce off the tissues in different ways and reach the head again to hit the monitor screen after processing, in the form of an image with different levels of gray, which is indicative of different tissue structures in the examined area.

Indications for ultrasound of the child’s hip joints

Ultrasound of a child’s hip joints is primarily a preventive examination to assess the correctness of the development of joints in a child. If your doctor does not notice any abnormalities during the first hip examination immediately after delivery, exercise Ultrasound in a pre-luxation clinic should take place according to the recommended schedule.

However, if the neonatologist or orthopedist determines that the baby’s hips are not developing properly, they will give parents a series of home recommendations to undo the changes. It is worth knowing that it is not used in newborns rehabilitation exercises.

Among the indications for hip ultrasound, specialist doctors mention:

1. Barlow’s symptom – otherwise the balancing of the joint. This symptom can be observed by laying the child on his back and performing a thigh abduction with simultaneous outward rotation. A disturbing symptom is the displacement of the femoral head beyond the acetabulum and its return to the acetabulum;
2. Ortolani symptom – otherwise hip hopping. This symptom can be observed by placing the child with his back on his back and applying pressure to the bent thighs with maximum abduction. A disturbing symptom is the skipping of the femoral head;
3. unnatural or asymmetrical arrangement of the legs;
4. resistance when moving the lower limb;
5. differences in the length of the child’s legs;
6. asymmetrical folds between the buttocks and thighs.

What is hip dysplasia?

The most frequently diagnosed abnormality in the youngest patients is hip dysplasia. It can be a congenital or acquired defect, which can be up to 50 percent. cases appear in babies placed buttocks in the womb. It consists in the fact that the child develops underdevelopment the acetabulum or stretching of the articular capsule. The effect of abnormalities is the lack of proper mobility of the joint, the possibility of dislocation, instability and the inability to develop it.

Other causes of dysplasia development include:

1. genetic disposition;
2. changes in the position of the child in the womb;
3. flabby joint capsule;
4. rapid straightening of the baby’s lower limbs during childbirth;
5. improper care, consisting in pulling the baby by the legs, e.g. when changing the diaper.

Proper diagnosis at an appropriately early stage of the child’s development allows for the introduction of inoperable, effective treatment of hip dysplasia.

The course of ultrasound examination of hip joints

Ultrasound of hip joints is completely safe and painless for a child. For this reason, there are no contraindications that would prevent its implementation. The study also does not require any special preparation. On the day of its performance, however, it is worth dressing the child in an outfit that will allow the child to undress for examination comfortably and efficiently.

The orthopedist performing the examination will ask you to undress the child and remove or unfasten the diaper. Then place the baby on the couch and follow the doctor’s instructions. He will apply a special gel to the area above the hip, which facilitates the penetration of ultrasound waves and makes it easier to move the probe over the skin of the examined person.

Then, using the head, moving it and arranging it under different angles, it will examine the condition of the hips, the image of which will appear in the form of spots of varying degrees of gray on the monitor screen. The hips on both sides of the child’s body will be examined by ultrasound.

After the imaging examination is completed, the doctor will proceed to the examination hip dynamic testing. By moving the baby’s hips and placing them at different angles, he will check that their response is correct and that the joints develop properly for the child’s age.

How to prevent hip dysplasia in a child?

If the cause of dysplasia is the position of the child at birth or genetic conditions – we are not able to prevent them. However, if our child has no problems with the hips, it is worth remembering a few rules that will help to avoid disorders in the development of the hips and will protect against hip dysplasia:

1. when carrying the baby in your arms, remember to move its legs to the sides and let them bend freely;
2. put your baby on his stomach as often as possible (but do not do this at night, when the baby is asleep);
3. do not pull the baby by the legs when changing the diaper;
4. do not constrain the child’s legs, let them move freely.

Remember that any parent’s doubts or abnormalities in the child’s motor development are a good excuse to make an appointment with an orthopedist, who may order an additional ultrasound examination of the hips. Taking care of the proper physical development of a child from the first months of his life will help to avoid movement and motor problems in the later stages of his development.

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.