What is Preventive Orthopedic Screening?
Preventive orthopedic screening in children is part of preventive medicine, including neonatal hip screening, flatfoot assessment, genu varum, and spinal screening for scoliosis, among others. This service is provided by specialized orthopedic professionals with the aim of delivering high-level medical care to children and thoroughly educating parents on modern approaches to treating congenital musculoskeletal conditions and potential traumatic injuries that may arise.
What Conditions are Detected by Preventive Orthopedic Screening?
Orthopedic examination detects a wide range of conditions early, many of which are not immediately apparent, such as clubfoot and kyphoscoliosis of the spine. It also identifies hip dysplasia, which is predominantly found in young girls.
What Does Preventive Orthopedic Screening Include?
During the orthopedic screening, the doctor observes any deviations from normal, identifying potential issues in the musculoskeletal system. Every bone and joint of the child is thoroughly examined by the doctor. Hip ultrasound is recommended to enhance the orthopedic screening and, combined with the clinical examination, detects potential hip dysplasia (abnormal development of the joint).
- In infants, congenital deformities of the hip (congenital hip dislocation, congenital hip varus, etc.) are more frequently observed. Deformities of the feet (congenital clubfoot, congenital metatarsus varus, congenital valgus feet, etc.) and the neck (congenital torticollis) are also common.
- After the examination in the maternity hospital, the next examination by the pediatric orthopedic specialist occurs when the child is standing independently and starting to walk, in order to assess the posture of the trunk and walking pattern. In the toddler years, bone deformities begin to become evident. These include rotational and angular deformities (internal and external rotation of the feet, genu varum and valgum) and flatfoot. At this age, fractures, especially incomplete and hairline fractures, are common.
- By school age, children usually have developed their walking patterns, and most developmental variations have corrected without the need for intervention. Orthopedic issues at this age include hip synovitis, femoral head osteochondritis, and leg length discrepancy. Due to their seriousness, thorough clinical examination along with laboratory and imaging tests are performed to provide the doctor with a complete picture and recommend appropriate treatment.
- During adolescence, hormonal changes and rapid growth occur. Pathological conditions may include slipped capital femoral epiphysis, osteochondritis (such as apophysitis), and osteochondritis dissecans of the knee. Spinal issues, including kyphosis, scoliosis, and low back pain, are also common.
How important is prevention?
Prevention in medicine is better than cure. In newborns, anatomical structures are still flexible, bones are largely cartilaginous, and muscles have great elasticity. It is much easier to correct a deformity in infancy than when the child grows older. However, with the help of a pediatric orthopedic specialist, even serious orthopedic conditions that have been overlooked by parents can be treated in children up to adolescence.
Summary
It is generally recommended that the first clinical and imaging examination be conducted when the child is still an infant. Many of the deformities observed at this age do not require surgical intervention and typically resolve as the child grows. Systematic monitoring by an orthopedic specialist until adulthood ensures a comprehensive and holistic approach to musculoskeletal development, as well as the management of health conditions that may co-occur with other pathologies, not just orthopedic ones.