21 Sep Did your baby need a Hip Ultrasound scan to check their hips

Did your baby need a Hip Ultrasound scan to check their hips
Wondering if you are supposed to be doing something with those results

In Australia, newborn babies are routinely checked at birth for Developmental Dysplasia of the the Hips (DDH) or commonly referred to as “click hips”. DDH is a condition whereby a newborn baby’s hips are not well formed and if left undetected and untreated, may result in poor hip joint development and baby not being able to walk at 2 years old. Conversely, DDH can be effectively treated with Early Intervention.

Any newborn baby who is suspected to have DDH will be referred for a Hip Ultrasound scan at 6 weeks old to assess their hip joints accurately. Some newborn babies may present with obvious hip joint abnormalities on their newborn screen in the hospital and they will be immediately referred to a Paediatric Physiotherapist for a Pavlik Harness. The Pavlik Harness is the gold standard for the management of DDH in newborn babies and not double nappies.

Unfortunately, many babies who have their 6 week old Hip Ultrasound scans are not followed up and their parents are not aware that baby’s hips are not well formed and require a Pavlik Harness fitted urgently. Sometimes, even GPs and Paediatricians can misinterpret the Hip Ultrasound scan reports leading to a child missing out on early intervention and a lifetime of good hip health. So to improve the awareness and understanding of Hip Ultrasound scan results, here are the guidelines:

If your baby’s Hip Ultrasound scans shows:
Hip coverage of less than 45% at rest or at stress, your baby will enquire a Pavlik Harness.
Hip coverage of 45% to 55% at rest or at stress, the Paediatrician will likely suggest wait and repeat Hip Ultrasound scan in 6 weeks time. Here at My Favourite Physio, we offer the option to have a Pavlik Harness to promote baby’s hip joint development.
Hip coverage of 60% or more is optimal and healthy hip joint development.

If you are are concerned about your newborn baby’s hips, reach out to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today at My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio.