Congenital hip dysplasia is a condition where the hip joint is less stable, leading to medical problems. It is more common in women and those of Native American, First Nations, and Lapland ancestry. The cause is unclear, but it may be linked to alterations in the hormone relaxin or genetics. Early detection is important, and treatment may involve bracing, splinting, harnessing, casting, or surgery. Some people may not show signs until adulthood.
The term “congenital dysplasia” can be used to refer to several conditions, but people usually mean congenital hip dysplasia when they use this term. People born with this condition have a less stable hip joint which can lead to the development of medical problems. Women are about nine times more likely to be born with congenital dysplasia than men, and the condition is more common in people of Native American, First Nations and Lapland ancestry.
There are several theories to explain congenital dysplasia. Some research suggests it could be caused by alterations in the levels of the hormone relaxin. Relaxin is a hormone that weakens pelvic cartilage during pregnancy to allow it to expand to accommodate the growing fetus. Exposure to high levels of relaxin in utero could lead to abnormalities in the hip joint making it unstable.
In some cases, there appears to be a clear genetic component. Abnormalities on chromosome 13 appear to be linked to congenital dysplasia and sometimes accompany other congenital conditions as well. In families with a history of hip dysplasia, children are more likely to have the condition. People who know their children are at risk may want to be careful about having regular medical evaluations of their children to check for early signs of hip dysplasia so the condition can be addressed quickly if it arises.
In some cases, congenital dysplasia is evident almost immediately. Your child may experience a dislocated hip, or caregivers may notice that your child’s legs sometimes have awkward angles, that the folds of fat on the legs are uneven, or that the legs appear to be uneven in length. Once your child begins to limp, gait abnormalities that indicate that the hip joint is unstable may reveal that your child has congenital dysplasia. If left untreated, your child could develop osteoarthritis by adolescence.
Treatment usually involves bracing, splinting, harnessing, or casting to stabilize the hip joint as the child develops, with the goal of encouraging the joint to correct the dysplasia on its own. In other cases, surgical treatment may be indicated to correct the dysplasia or for pain management if the child experiences pain associated with the condition.
Some people don’t show signs of congenital dysplasia until they are older. These individuals may be adults before they start having problems with their hip joint. Treatment options for adult-onset variations of this condition vary.
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