Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeries in Children: When Does Your Child Need Help?

As parents of young children, we often feel it's one of our most important roles to help our kids grow up healthy, strong, and pain-free. Even though children are typically active and resilient, there are many orthopedic conditions that can hinder them through their growth and development, or affect their mobility. Pediatric orthopedic surgery is often a recommendation when physical problems with the bones, joints, and muscles are interfering with the child's activities of daily living, or failing to improve with conservative treatment and other forms of therapy. Taking the steps to know when your child would benefit from seeking medical attention can impact their growth and development for years to come.

If you are looking for a comprehensive care option, the best pediatric clinic in Jaipur has the facilities to provide timely diagnosis, and timely surgical intervention if needed.


What is Pediatric Orthopaedics?


Pediatric orthopaedics is the branch of medicine dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of bone, joint, and muscle problems in infants through teenagers. Children should not simply be thought of as "small adults". Along with their softer skeletal structures, the child's bones and joints are still maturing, which means that any orthopedic condition can be complicated if there is no specialized treatment that is designed for the developing child.

Some of the more common problems that a pediatric orthopaedic physician may look at are:

  • Congenital deformities (i.e., present with birth)
  • Growth plate injuries
  • Bone fractures
  • Limb length discrepancies
  • Spinal deformities
  • Joint or muscle conditions
     

When is it Necessary for a Child to Undergo Orthopaedic Surgery?


Orthopaedic surgery is usually only considered after an unsuccessful trial of non-surgical treatment options, such as therapy, bracing, or medication. These are the tell-tale signs that likely mean that your child should be evaluated by an orthopaedic specialist and/or require surgical intervention:

  • Persistent Pain That Is Not Improving

When a child continues to mention pain in their legs, back, hips, or feet, particularly after resting or only minimal moving, this may be indicative of an orthopaedic problem.

  • Unusual Walking Patterns

If your child walks differently than expected (limping, walking on their toes, dragging one leg, etc.) this could indicate a problem with their bones or soft tissues. Sometimes abnormalities need to be surgically evaluated, particularly when the abnormality continues or worsens, to determine if the bones or other soft tissues are lined up appropriately and/or if your child is able to walk with an appropriate pattern.

  • Visible Deformities

Deformities such as bowing of the legs, bowed knees, club foot, or spinal deformity (e.g. scoliosis) may be an indicator of underlying structural abnormality of a child's bones or joints. If these deformities worsen over time or affect movement and stature, surgery may then become necessary to correct alignment and assist with a healthy development.

  • Development Delays

If your child displays large delays in milestones like standing, walking or staying balanced, this may represent an underlying musculoskeletal issue. A pediatric orthopedic specialist can help diagnose the cause that is contributing to the delay as the earlier we can identify the cause, the earlier we can intervene to help promote healthy growth and mobility.

  • Serious Fractures

While most fractures heal well in children with a cast, some fractures especially those that involve the growth plate may require surgery. Surgery properly aligns the bone and stabilizes it in the correct position to heal. Surgery ensures proper healing and prevents long-standing growth or mobility issues.

Going to the best pediatric clinic in Jaipur facility means that your child will receive a diagnosis, and treatment, in a timely manner with the best experts.


Types of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeries


These are some of the most common Best pediatric consultation in Jaipur
where  orthopedic surgeries performed in children:

  • Corrective Limb Surgery

This procedure is performed to address leg length discrepancies or to address deformities such as bowing (genu varum) and knock-knees (genu valgum). The goal of the procedure is to improve gait, balance, and overall limb alignment for the child to move comfortably and function normally.

  • Fracture Fixation

For particularly extensive fractures, plates, screws, or rods are used by surgeons to stabilize the broken bone, so that it can heal correctly, and in an expedited timeframe.

  • Scoliosis Surgery

Surgery for scoliosis will depend on the extent of the spinal curve and whether it continues to progress and/or affect your child's posture, breathing, or movement patterns. Spinal surgical intervention will straighten or realign the child's spine with the use of rods, screws, and/or other devices to hold the spine in a corrected position. Surgical intervention will stabilize the curve which will decrease complications, decrease discomfort, and allow the child to have more balance and spine health.

  • Hip Reconstruction

Hip reconstruction is performed to treat hip dysplasia or dislocation. These conditions occur when the hip joint does not form or sit correctly in the joint socket. This procedure will reshape or reposition the hip joint to help the hip function properly and alleviate pain, and prevent issues related to the joint such as osteoarthritis. Hip reconstruction is more effective in younger children because they are primarily relying on the hip joint for mobility, and it helps to develop a new hip that can grow with the child.

  • Clubfoot Surgery

Surgery for clubfoot is considered when initial casting and stretching do not fully resolve the deformity. It helps to reposition and correct the tendons, ligaments, or bones of the foot into a more normal, functional alignment. Therefore, the child can stand, walk, and interact with the are more comfortably, stably, and with greater mobility.

Each of these surgeries has significant attention to planning, and the entire notion is to be as less invasive as possible and facilitate recovery and overall health.


The value of early diagnosis


Early diagnosis can prevent complications and improve your child's mobility and confidence while potentially decreasing the need for an operation. Regular checkups at the best pediatric clinic in Jaipur can focus on issues specific to your child before they become problematic.


Ortho problems and their larger health concerns


Incredibly some orthopedic symptoms can be indicators of larger health concerns. For example, your child's activity appears fatigued and/or short of breath with a little exertion, or required more rest than expected, it may indicate something else that is not orthopaedic. In some rare cases these symptoms could be an early sign of a heart problem in children.

​​If your child has chest pain, fainting, fast heart rate, or abnormal fatigue, seek medical attention right away. While orthopedic problems are most common, anything affecting other organs should not be ignored.