Common Pediatric Orthopedic Conditions — what to know when "is this just growing pains?" comes up
Children are still growing, so their bones, joints, and growth plates respond differently from adults.
"Won't move an arm," "limping," and "knee pain" each point to a different age-specific diagnosis.
Caught early, most pediatric orthopedic conditions resolve without surgery; missed, some can lead to permanent deformity.
The radial head subluxes when an adult pulls the child's hand and the arm hangs limp
Limp following a viral illness; usually self-resolves in days to a week
Temporary loss of blood supply to the femoral head — needs long-term rehab management
The growth plate at the top of the femur slips; missed cases lead to deformity and surgery
Pulled elbow improves the moment we reduce it; transient synovitis settles in a few days. Osgood-Schlatter and Sever's disease respond to rest and stretching. Perthes and SCFE, on the other hand, demand early diagnosis to protect long-term hip function.
Don't wait if any of these happen.
"A limp lasting more than 2 days," "leg pain waking the child at night," "screaming when the hip is moved," "unable to bear weight on one leg," or "hip or knee pain together with a fever." These can be early signs of conditions that may scar growth if missed. X-ray plus ultrasound can clarify quickly.