What is Pediatric Orthopedics?
Pediatric orthopedics is a specialty of orthopedic and trauma surgery that deals with musculoskeletal injuries and disorders in children and adolescents. It is also called pediatric traumatology or pediatric orthopedic surgery.
The most frequent examples of children’s injuries are foot deformities, gait disturbances, hip dysplasia, etc. These problems can be hereditary, congenital or acquired.
Foot deformities are one of the most frequent injuries in children.
What diseases does Orthopedics for children treat?
As in other fields of medicine, early diagnosis can help prevent an orthopedic problem in childhood, which means receiving better treatment and faster correction. Some of the diseases treated by this specialty are:
- Spine deformities
- Deformities in arms or legs
- Deformities produced in the locomotor apparatus as a consequence of neuromuscular, metabolic diseases, etc.
Also stand out, as more frequent examples:
- Deformities of the feet (flat feet or pes cavus).
- Gait disturbances (difference in length of the lower limbs).
- Hip dysplasia
- Angular alterations of the lower limbs
What subspecialties are there within Pediatric Orthopedics?
This specialty covers all the subspecialties of adult orthopedics, but the professionals dedicated to this discipline have specific training in congenital or acquired orthopedic problems in children and adolescents, since injuries change and the body responds differently depending on the age of the patient. It is precisely in the infantile stages when muscles and bones are in continuous growth and development. For this reason, the principles of orthopedics establish that it is essential to detect and make an early diagnosis of any orthopedic pathology for its adequate treatment.
When is it necessary to go to the pediatric orthopedist?
When a problem is detected in the child, it is important to consult a specialist in pediatric orthopedics. This specialist can perform a complete physical examination to assess joint mobility ranges, identify areas of pain, look for joint effusion and check for joint stability. In addition, it is important for this specialist to focus on the areas of growth at the ends of the bones, the area most susceptible to injury in the individual’s first 20 years.