Limping in a child

Limping in a child can be caused by something as simple as a stone in the shoe, a blister on the foot, or a pulled muscle. But a limp can also be a sign of more serious trouble, such as a broken bone or an infection, so it should be investigated early to make sure no serious problems are present. Some children limp when they first learn how to walk. Among the causes of early limping are neurological damage (for example, cerebral palsy). Any limp at this age needs to be investigated as soon as possible, since the longer it goes untreated, the more difficult it may be to correct.

Conditions Associated with Limping

Once walking is well established, significant sudden limping usually indicates one of several conditions:

• A “toddler” fracture
• Hip injury or inflammation (synovitis)
• Previously undiagnosed congenital hip dislocation
• Infection in the bone or joint

Toddler fracture

Toddler fracture is a mild fracture that can occur with minor accidents, such as a slip on a newly waxed floor or a jump from a porch step or swing. Sometimes the child can explain how the injury occurred, but youngsters do so many things in one day that they may have difficulty recalling exactly what happened. Sometimes an older sibling or babysitter can solve the mystery. Hip problems Hip problems that cause a limp at this age usually are due to a viral joint infection and need to be brought to the attention of your physician. When a child has an infection in the bone or joint, there usually is fever, swelling of the joint and redness. If the infection is in the hip joint, the child will hold her leg flexed or bent at the hip and be extremely irritable and unwilling to move the hip and leg in any direction. Sometimes a child is born with a dislocated hip that, in rare cases, goes undetected until the child starts to walk. As one leg is shorter than the other, the child will walk with an obvious limp, which will be persistent.

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