Child Limping With Leg Pain

Evaluation of a limping child should begin.

Child limping with leg pain. When the doctors gave him a physical exam there was no sore spot and no limited range of movement. The older the patient the better the anamnesis and more detailed the physical examination will be enabling an easier medical assessment for searching. Therefore it is important to Xray the entire limb as to not miss the etiology of the limp.

A limp is defined as an asymmetric gait and is a deviation from a normal age-appropriate gait pattern. X-ray hip AP. Usually in physically active children or sports players.

Disorders of the nervous system can cause weakness or tightness in the muscles which can cause a child to walk differently. Growing pains in children do not cause limping. Rounding out the list of frequently etiologies of limping in very young children are the congenital causes think developmental dysplasia of the hip and neuromuscular problems such as cerebral palsy.

The doctors diagnosed it as transient synovitis. There may be a structural problem with the leg or joints. There are multiple reasons as to why a child could be limping including injury infection or genetic disorders.

There are several causes for this condition and identifying them is a challenge. Minor trauma is the most common etiology for a limp with the median age being 4 years boys outnumbering girls 21. Usually in the lower portion of the legs in the front.

This chart outlines the most common causes of limping along with general symptoms. Limping may be caused by pain or weakness anywhere in the leg especially the joints. If this is not happening leg pain exists.