20 Jan Was your baby  lying breech in your tummy during your pregnancy before turning at the last moment

Was your baby born breech 
Do you have a family history of hip problems

If you have answered yes to any fo the above statements, then your baby may be at risk of Clicky Hips or Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips (DDH). 

Clicky Hips or DDH is a condition that affects the neonatal and infant hip joint. DDH is a term used to describe a range of abnormalities affecting an infant’s hips including a shallow hip joint; an unstable hip joint that pops in and out of the hip socket; or a hip joint that is completely dislocated and lying outside the hip socket. Studies indicate that 1 in 100 babies will be identified as having some hip instability at birth, and 1-2 per 1000 babies will be born with a dislocated hip.

Top 3 Risk Factors for Clicky Hips or DDH
1. Babies who have breech presentation at birth.
2. Family history of DDH (especially in parents or siblings).
3. Female baby (DDH is four times more likely to occur in a female baby).
If a baby’s hips are not formed properly, and no early intervention is carried out to treat the hips, then the baby may be at risk of being unable to walk  in the future, or have hip problems, as they get older. Therefore, it is really important to make sure that an experienced Paediatric Physiotherapist  checks your newborn baby’s hips at birth or very soon after.

DDH when detected early can be easily and effectively treated  using a Pavlik Harness to position baby’s hips in the optimal position to allow normal development of the hips. Early Intervention is key!  Waiting too long can impact on your baby’s hips development and their gross motor skills development in the first year.

Here at My Favourite Physio, our Paediatric Physiotherapist checks all newborn babies with clicky hips to ensure that their hips are normal, and if required will fit them with a Pavlik Harness to correct their hips.

If you are concerned about your newborn baby’s hips, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 to speak to our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapist today.