Best Child Orthopedic Surgeon in Dhaka - Book Appointment
The Limp That Started Without Any Fall
Your son is twelve, tall for his age, and heavier than most of his friends. For the last few weeks he has been complaining that his knee aches. Some days it is the hip instead. Now he has started to limp, and nobody can point to a fall or an injury that started it.
Knee pain in a growing child often gets blamed on sports or a knock at school. But when the ache sits deep in the groin or thigh and a limp creeps in, doctors look at the hip first.
At the top of the thigh bone sits a ball that fits into the hip socket. In a child, that ball is joined to the rest of the bone by a growth plate. That plate is a layer of softer tissue where new bone forms. During the fast growth of the early teenage years, this plate can weaken. The ball can then slip slightly backwards on the neck of the bone. Doctors call this a slipped capital femoral epiphysis.
This is not one to watch for a few weeks. It needs a prompt review. If your child suddenly cannot bear weight on that leg at all, treat it as a same-day emergency. Keep him off the leg until he is seen. A child orthopedic surgeon in Dhaka can examine the hip, arrange imaging, and explain what is happening before anything slips further.
197 available specialists found
Dr. A K M Shahjahan
Dr. Muhammad Sayeed Mahmud (Tamal)
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Dr. Md. Rashedul Islam
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Dr. Md. Motiur Rahaman
Asst. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hossain Siddiqi (Titu)
Prof. Dr. Syed Zakir Hossain
Why the Growth Plate Is the Weak Point
The ball at the top of the thigh bone is called the femoral head. In adults it is solidly part of the bone. In children it is still separated by the growth plate, which is softer than the bone around it.
The plate carries the body's weight every time your child stands or walks. During a growth spurt it can become less able to hold the ball steady. Extra body weight adds to the load, and the ball shifts slightly while the rest of the leg stays where it was.
What the Doctor Checks
The examination starts with watching your child walk. The doctor then moves each hip gently and compares the two sides. A hip that will not turn inward as far as the other is a classic clue.
X-rays of both hips are usually taken, so the two sides can be compared. The other hip is checked even when it causes no pain. Blood tests are sometimes added, and the doctor may ask about growth and weight changes.
What Treatment Aims to Do
The first aim is simple: stop the ball slipping further. In general terms, surgery holds the ball in place on the growth plate so it cannot shift more while the plate finishes closing. The surgeon will explain the exact approach before anything is decided.
Until the hip is seen, rest may be advised. No running, jumping, or sport on that leg. Ask your doctor whether weight-bearing should stop completely in your child's case.
Recovery and Follow-Up
Follow-up visits watch the hip heal and the plate close. The other hip stays under review too, because a slip can happen on the second side during the same growth period.
For wider questions about weight or growth, a child specialist in Dhaka can be part of the same team looking after your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
My son says his knee hurts. Why are doctors looking at his hip?
Hip problems in children often send pain down to the knee, because the two areas share nerve pathways. A normal-looking knee in a limping child is a well-known reason to examine the hip.
How quickly does he need to be seen?
Promptly. If he can still walk, arrange a review as soon as you can. If he suddenly cannot put weight on the leg, that is a same-day emergency.
Should he keep walking on it while we wait?
Keep weight off it as much as you reasonably can until he is seen. No running, jumping, or sport. If walking hurts or the limp worsens, treat it as urgent.
What does the surgery actually do?
In general terms, it holds the ball steady on the growth plate so the slip cannot get worse while growth finishes. Your surgeon will explain the details in your child's case.
Will the other hip be checked too?
Yes. Both hips are usually imaged, and the painless side is followed as well. A slip can appear on the other side during the same period of fast growth.
Will he walk normally afterwards?
That depends on how far the ball had slipped and how the hip heals. Recovery is followed step by step, and the team will tell you honestly how things are progressing.
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