Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology
Pediatric orthopedics is a field of medicine that aims to diagnose and appropriately treat diseases of the joints, bones, and muscles of children in general. Because children’s bodies are still growing, they have different muscle, joint, and bone structures compared to adults. If a problem occurs in the limbs of children at this age, they are referred to pediatric orthopedists by pediatricians. Pediatric orthopedists specializing in pediatric orthopedics deal with the age range from infants to teenagers. As a result of detailed tests and comprehensive examinations, the specialist can find the appropriate treatment method and apply it together with the family. Because the support of the family is very important for the child to get the necessary efficiency from the treatment. These specialists can perform surgery when necessary.
Because children’s bodies change so much as they grow up, parents can sometimes confuse growing pains with abnormal orthopedic conditions. Therefore, before consulting a pediatric orthopedist, they can better understand the situation by going to a pediatrician. In the pediatric orthopedics department, diseases from the neonatal period to the adolescence period, which we call adolescence, are treated. After detailed examinations and examinations, a roadmap for treatment is drawn up for children, while parents are informed in a comprehensive and detailed manner. Because the participation of the family is very important, especially in matters such as regaining physical strength and raising the awareness and care of the patient.
Which Diseases Does the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit Treat?
The treatment unit for orthopedic diseases that occur in non-adults is the pediatric orthopedics department. Generally, all traumatic and surgical treatments of individuals up to the age of eighteen, as well as drug treatments, are performed under the management of pediatric orthopedics. If the physician following the patient deems it necessary, the treatments are carried out successfully with a multidisciplinary approach by getting support from other branches such as the pediatric cardiology unit. Diseases treated by the pediatric orthopedics branch can be listed as follows:
- Extremity anomalies were seen in newborns.
- Birth Paralysis, Partial paralysis, Complete paralysis, Transient paralysis, Permanent paralysis, Flanking paralysis, Spastic paralysis.
- Crooked feet, Neck curvature, Scoliosis, Spina bifida.
- Hip dislocation and developmental disability, Flat feet.
- Bone cysts and tumors.
- Fractures and Dislocations, Sports injuries, Curved Neck Disease (Torticollis).
Postural disorders can be detected as soon as the child starts to stand up and walk, but with the increase in height, it often becomes more pronounced at the age of 11-12 in girls and at the age of 13-14 in boys. In addition, since the most common cause of curvature in the spine, idiopathic scoliosis in adolescence, which is more common in girls, also occurs at this age, spine screening examinations are also performed during these periods.
Spinal curvatures called scoliosis in children can be caused by congenital bone development problems in the spine, existing muscle or nervous system problems in the child, previous traumas, and abnormalities in the abdominal or thoracic organs. Children often have scoliosis, the cause of which has not been fully revealed, and occurs during adolescence. It is important to show the child with a curvature in the spine to a pediatric orthopedist in determining the cause. In the treatment of scoliosis, there are options for follow-up with exercises, corset applications, and surgery. Appropriate selection is made among them according to the underlying cause.
Solitary congenital clubfoot is more common in some breeds. In addition, if there is a previous family history of clubfoot, the probability of it being seen in a newborn baby increase. However, genetic research on isolated clubfoot is ongoing and some results are starting to emerge. On the other hand, clubfoot can be seen together with some other genetic diseases, and in these cases, special approaches should be taken for those diseases.