The asymmetrical arrangement of the folds on the legs of the baby often worries young mothers. And if they heard that this is a sign of a disorder in the hip joint, then they are not far from panic. You shouldn't panic, but you can't ignore this either. The asymmetry of skin folds is often found in absolutely healthy babies, but only a specialist can determine the norm or deviation. It is necessary to turn to him in order to eliminate fears.
What is dysplasia
At birth, the structure of the infant's hip joint is immature. There is excessive elasticity of the articular ligaments. The joint and periarticular ligaments are finally formed only by the year.
But if in some babies the joint develops normally and at a certain time, then in others there is a slowdown in development. This is also called joint immaturity. A symptom of such a borderline state between norm and pathology may be asymmetry of the folds.
Immaturity of the joint can later turn into a developmental disorder, that is, into dysplasia. That is why it is so important not to delay the visit to the doctor, to establish a diagnosis in a timely manner and start treatment.
There are very few clear criteria in the diagnosis of this disease. In order to confirm or exclude the diagnosis, ultrasound or even radiography is required. But there are a number of symptoms that a mother can also see:
- asymmetry of the gluteal, popliteal or inguinal folds;
- if you bend the legs at the knee and hip joints, then one knee is higher than the other;
- there is a limitation in the abduction of the hip to the side.
If your toddler has at least one of these symptoms, then be sure to rush to a podiatrist.
Prevention and treatment
Why dysplasia occurs is not fully understood. But it is believed that the risk of its occurrence increases with a genetic predisposition and pathology of pregnancy. The cause may be a large fetus, first birth, breech presentation.
For prevention, as well as in case of immaturity of the hip joint, simple methods are enough. Wide swaddling, massage and special exercises are prescribed.
Dysplasia can be detected already in the first month of life. In this case, the treatment gives a positive effect in a short time. Within a few months, the joint regains its functions, even if there were serious deviations from the norm.
But there are times when the disease does not appear until three or even six months. It can be provoked by improper care, in particular tight swaddling. Therefore, never swaddle your baby's feet tightly. Thus, you limit their mobility and fix the joint in the wrong position.
The earlier the disease is detected, the easier it is to cope with it. Therefore, do not neglect the obligatory examinations of an orthopedist, which are assigned to babies within 1, 3 and 6 months. And if your baby has a diagnosis of dysplasia, do not despair. Timely started treatment will completely relieve the baby of serious problems in the future.
