What is pediatric orthopedics?

Pediatric orthopedics is medical care to diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent musculoskeletal problems — issues affecting the bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, muscles, and other soft tissues — in children. 

Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine offers comprehensive children’s orthopedics care, including a wide range of treatment options tailored to your child’s unique needs. 

When might my child need pediatric orthopedics? 

Some problems, for example, intoeing (walking with toes pointed inwards) in a two or three-year-old, tend to resolve as the child grows and learns to walk steadily. But, there are also many musculoskeletal issues that may require a specialized medical approach. These include:

• Limb length discrepancy - one leg shorter than its mate
• Growth plate fractures - fractures in the growth center of a bone
• Sever’s disease - irritation in the heel growth plate
• Clubfoot - foot rotated out of proper position
• Scoliosis - abnormal spinal curvature
• Kyphosis - hunched back
• Gait abnormalities - irregular walking patterns
• Sports injuries and accidents - fractures, sprains, strains, and other injuries
• Spondylolisthesis - spinal vertebra slips out of position
• Spondylosis - vertebral stress fracture
• Bone infections
• Bone tumors
• Flatfeet

Other musculoskeletal conditions can also affect your child’s health, function, and overall quality of life. If you’re worried about musculoskeletal symptoms like recurrent pain, abnormal gait, stumbling, or difficulty moving in your child, Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine can help. 

How does pediatric orthopedics treatment work? 

Because children are still developing and often changing very rapidly, orthopedics care can be quite different from adult care. Your child’s comfort and individual needs always come first, and each child receives an expert evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plan.

Your Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine provider always takes a conservative non-surgical approach if at all possible. Common conservative measures include rest, ice, elevation, over-the-counter medication, activity changes, physical therapy, and shoe orthotics. 

If your child has a severe musculoskeletal problem that doesn’t improve with conservative care, your provider may recommend surgery. Surgery can allow children to enjoy normal childhood activities like riding a bike, playing on a sports team, or playing with friends without pain or restrictions. 

Learn more about pediatric orthopedics by calling the Dearborn and Livonia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine office nearest you or booking online.