Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou'll probably first bring your concerns to the attention of your child's doctor. After an initial evaluation, your child may be referred to a doctor who specializes in bone problems in children (pediatric orthopedist).
What you can do
Before your appointment, you may want to write a list of answers to the following questions:
- When did these symptoms begin?
- Does any particular leg position or activity make the pain worse?
- Have any of your relatives had similar symptoms when they were children?
- Does your child have any other medical problems?
- What medications or supplements does your child take regularly?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor may ask some of the following questions:
- What are your child's symptoms?
- Have they gotten worse over time?
- Do the symptoms seem to come and go?
- Is your child active?
- Has your child experienced an accident or injury that might have caused hip damage?
- If your child's symptoms include pain, where is the pain located?
- Does activity make your child's symptoms worse?
- Does resting ease your child's discomfort?
References
- Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Nigrovic PA. Overview of hip pain in childhood. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Perthes disease. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00070. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Shaughnessy WJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 10, 2012.
- Perry DC, et al. Evaluating the child who presents with an acute hip. 2010;341:444.
- Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1584/0.html. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- DeLee JC, et al. DeLee & Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..X0001-2--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed April 27, 2012.
- AskMayoExpert. What is the initial therapy for Perthes disease? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
- AskMayoExpert. When are patients with Perthes disease considered for operational or interventional procedures? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on