Children Orthopedic Congenital Diseases

An orthopedic defect is a physical problem affecting the skeleton, muscles, and tissues. Some orthopedic defects are acquired, and others are congenital.

There are many kinds of congenital conditions, and they vary widely from mild to crippling to life-threatening. Some conditions go away on their own, while others require extensive treatment.

While children are at risk for many of the same injuries and conditions as adults, they are also susceptible to certain congenital conditions that may affect their ability to walk or perform other everyday tasks by themselves.

Congenital anomalies are often referred to as defects that are present at birth. They may or may not be genetic.

Orthopedic birth defects include a wide range of conditions affecting a baby’s bones and muscles, tendons, and ligaments that connect them. These conditions occur while your baby is developing in the uterus.

Some orthopedic birth defects heal on their own and don’t require treatment. Others can lead to complications if left untreated, including:

1. Difficulty walking and running
2. Bone destruction
3. Deformities in bones, muscles, and joints of the limbs
4. Arthritis in later life

What causes children congenital diseases?

Orthopedic birth defects happen when bone and muscle tissue develops abnormally in babies during fetal development.

Some common risk factors may include:

• Abnormal genes inherited from a parent
• Missing or abnormal genes caused by a chromosome disorder
• Toxins including alcohol, cigarette smoke, illicit drugs, certain medications, radiation, and certain chemicals
• Preexisting maternal conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, and high blood pressure can cause a congenital defect.

Symptoms of children congenital diseases

Babies and children with orthopedic birth defects may not show symptoms. Signs and symptoms to look for include:

1. Visible problems with a baby’s legs, feet, arms, or hands
2. Spine twisting, curvature, or bowing
3. Bones that break easily
4. Reduced movement in infants or difficulty walking in children

Types of children orthopedic congenital diseases

Many types of birth defects result from development problems in babies. Our doctors will provide specialized care to correct the following deformities to allow your child to experience a happy and healthy life.

Clubfoot: Also called talipes equinovarus, it is a foot deformity. It can affect one or both feet and is twice as common in boys as it is in girls. Some children with clubfoot are also born with a hip condition like hip dysplasia.

The French method of treatment is a non-surgical treatment, and it involves stretching the foot to increase its range of motion. The surgeon will then tape the foot to maintain that gain. If the non-surgical treatments fail, the child will need surgery to correct their clubfoot.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH): Also known as, DDH, developmental dysplasia of the hip is another common birth defect that occurs in about one out of every 1,000 live births. It affects more girls than boys.
In DDH, the hip is either prone to dislocating or is completely dislocated. In severe cases, the problem is a shallow or malformed hip socket that cannot accommodate the head of the femur.

Symptoms of hip dysplasia can include an abnormally wide space between the legs, less mobility or flexibility in the affected leg, uneven skin folds on the buttocks, and one leg appearing shorter than the other does.

As with clubfoot, the sooner hip dysplasia is treated the better. Untreated hip dysplasia will impair a child’s ability to walk. The treatment options vary depending on the age of the child. Non-surgical methods like braces or casts will be tried first. If they fail, or the child is over two years old, the doctor will perform surgery to correct the problem.

Muscular dystrophy: Muscular dystrophy or MD is a group of diseases that affect the skeletal muscles. Depending on the type, a patient may show symptoms as a child or not until adulthood. The two most common forms affecting children are Duchenne MD and Becker MD, and both are sex-linked disorders that nearly always affect only boys.

While there is no cure, there are treatments to retard the degeneration of the patient’s muscles and improve the quality of their lives.

Treatments for both types of muscular dystrophy include medications like corticosteroids to slow down the degeneration of the muscles. The patient will also undergo physical therapy and wear braces to try to remain as mobile as possible for as long as possible.

They will also use devices like walkers and wheelchairs. If some symptoms, like scoliosis, get severe enough, the patient may need surgery.

How are children orthopedic congenital diseases diagnosed?

Depending on the type of orthopedic birth defect your child may have, the pediatric orthopedist may recommend one or more of the following tests:

• Blood and urine tests to check for infection
• Diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans, to examine bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• X-rays to look for problems in bones
• Prenatal or after birth genetic testing to check for abnormalities
• Biopsy of muscle or bone to check for a range of problems

Treatment for orthopedic birth defects

While many children grow out of these conditions naturally over a certain amount of time, some may require ongoing treatment to maintain or restore function in the affected area.

Our orthopedic care team will carefully examine your child to decide on the right treatment for the condition. At Orthobridge Orthopedic Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, our treatment options include:

1. Braces, splints, or casts to properly align bones and joints
2. Physical therapy to improve strength and range of motion
3. Occupational therapy to help build skills such as eating, getting dressed, and walking
4. Surgery to adjust bones, muscles, and tendons in severe conditions

Why choose us for pediatric orthopedic surgery?

Orthobridge Orthopedics Institute provides the highest level of specialty care for pediatric orthopedic patients.

We specialize in the care of infants, children, and teens who have congenital (from birth), developmental, and traumatic musculoskeletal conditions. Our team of orthopedic surgeons offers a broad spectrum of care options, including surgery, alternative treatments, limb braces, rehabilitation, and therapy.

As we care for various children’s orthopedic congenital diseases, we take an integrated approach to caring for pediatric injuries and conditions. Our team understands the particular developmental needs of children and ensures that each child receives the comprehensive, individualized care they deserve.

Col (Dr) Adari, a top pediatric orthopedic surgeon in Kenya welcomes families to be involved in all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery and is available to answer any questions and address any children’s orthopedic congenital defects concerns you might have.

Watch as Col (Dr) Adari treats a young athlete at Gertrude’s hospital in Nairobi, Kenya using minimally invasive surgery(arthroscopy).