White chubby baby, very popular, especially fat out of a fold of the little baby, always let life out of a lot of laughter. Do not know, small folds in fact also suggest big problems. For example, “asymmetrical leg lines”. Asymmetry of the buttocks or thigh groin is referred to as bilateral lower extremity skin pattern asymmetry, which is one of the early external manifestations of hip dysplasia. In addition to bilateral lower limb skin line asymmetry, hip dysplasia may also be manifested in the early stage as unequal length of both lower limbs, limited or bilateral asymmetry of hip abduction, hip abduction popping and so on. What is hip dysplasia? The medical name of this disease is “developmental dysplasia of the hip” (DDH for short), which is a collective term for congenital or developmental structural anomalies of the hip in infancy and childhood, including hip dysplasia, hip subluxation and total dislocation of the hip. What are the manifestations of hip dysplasia? 1.Double lower limb skin line asymmetry: including the depth, length and number of skin folds in the groin and buttocks are asymmetrical. However, the occurrence of skin asymmetry is not absolutely caused by hip dysplasia, there are also a considerable number of skin asymmetry phenomenon in normal infants and young children, this is due to the lower limbs of infants and young children relative to adults short and fat accumulation. 2, the length of both lower limbs is not equal: when the hip joint is dislocated, the femoral head dislocates backward and upward out of the acetabulum, resulting in the shortening of the affected limb compared with the opposite side. The easier way to check is: when infants and young children bend their hips and knees, their knees are not equal in height. Restricted hip adduction: normal infants have symmetrical bilateral hip adduction and can reach 80-90 degrees, while children with hip dysplasia have reduced hip adduction, often less than 60-70 degrees. 4, hip joint abduction popping: hip dislocation patients dislocated femoral head in abduction movement, over the acetabular rim to re-enter the acetabulum produced by the throbbing sensation. When the child starts to walk with weight bearing (after 1 year old), a typical short limb limp gait can appear, and most of the children are diagnosed with this sign and found to be abnormal. Children with unilateral subluxation may have a spinal deviation to the affected side, and children with bilateral subluxation may have a wobbly gait, similar to a “duck walk”. In this case, the child stands and the pelvis tilts toward the healthy side when the affected limb is weight-bearing. Older children and adolescents may experience painful claudication and limited joint movement. When your baby has a physical examination in a community hospital and the doctor finds that your baby is suspected of having hip dysplasia or when you find that your baby has the above symptoms, you are advised to take your baby to a professional medical institution immediately. What tests are needed for hip dysplasia? For children with suspected abnormalities, imaging tests will be performed to assist in the diagnosis. Currently, there are 2 common types of imaging tests: an ultrasound of the hip joint and an X-ray of the pelvis. An ultrasound is usually recommended for children under 6 months of age, and an x-ray is recommended if the child is older than 6 months. The diagnosis is made based on the results of the imaging tests. Can hip dysplasia be cured? The treatment options and prognosis depend largely on two factors, the severity of the condition and the age at which the disease is detected and treatment started. The younger the child and the less severe the deformity, the more likely it is that the deformity can be corrected by wearing a brace and relying on the infant’s ability to shape itself during development. DDH detected within 4-6 months of the child’s age can be treated conservatively. In the age group of 6 months to 1.5 years, simple acetabular dysplasia and subluxation can be treated conservatively by wearing an abduction brace; while hip dislocation needs to be repositioned under anesthesia (closed reset) and immobilized in a plaster cast; and children over the age of one and a half years often need surgical treatment. From the above, it can be seen that the early diagnosis and treatment within 6 months can minimize the pain and injury of the child to achieve the best therapeutic effect. Warm tips: 1, the child’s leg lines asymmetry is only a hint signal, but does not necessarily indicate a problem. Many infants even if the hip joint is normal, especially fat babies, legs texture asymmetry is not an abnormal sign. If you find that your baby’s legs are asymmetrical, you should ask your doctor to check to make sure that your hip joints are developing normally. 2. Make a clear diagnosis at an early stage and start treatment immediately, do not delay the best time for treatment, and try to maximize the chance to give your baby a healthy hip joint.