The Baby Hip Clinic provides hip ultrasound screening for young babies at risk of Developmental Dysplasia of the hip. The screening service is the gold standard for detecting hip problems in children under 6 months.

Developmental Dysplasia is a condition affecting a significant number of children in the UK, and refers to a spectrum of disease ranging from complete dislocation of the hip, through to some shallowness of the hip joint socket. If the condition is not identified then the child will have an increased risk of lifelong hip problems, which will usually require a hip replacement at a young age.

Although not life-threatening, Developmental Dysplasia of the hip is disabling in relation to quality of life. Currently there are several NHS tests in place to pick up the problem including a post-birth examination of the baby’s hips before leaving the hospital, and then later examinations by a GP at 6-8 weeks and 6-8 months.

Unfortunately these examinations can be very difficult to perform on young babies and as a result, the more subtle problems can be missed. This can often mean significantly later detection of problems, and worsened long term outcome.

• Family history – any relative who has had a previous childhood hip problem
• Breech position of the child during pregnancy
• Oligohydramnios (low level of fluid in the womb during pregnancy)
• Foot abnormalities at birth
• First born, female sex 

• One leg appears shorter than the other
• An extra deep crease is occasionally present on the inside of thigh
• One hip joint moves differently from the other and the knee may appear to face outwards
• When a baby’s nappy is changed one leg does not seem to move outwards as fully as the other leg.

The ultrasound screening is a completely safe and risk-free procedure performed by a specialised Orthopaedic Consultant, with support from a paediatric nurse.

The consultation, examination and scan will last for approximately 30 minutes and the accompanying parent remains with the baby during the scan. It is advised that the parent brings along a feed and a soother for the baby.

After the scan, the results are available immediately. These will be explained by the Consultant who will also be available for any follow-up appointments or treatment if required.

If Developmental Dysplasia of the hip is recognised early it can nearly always be treated with a splint, worn for approximately 12 weeks (dependent on the age of the baby). This ensures a position in which the hip is most likely to develop satisfactorily.

Any child treated for Developmental Dysplasia of the hip or Congenital Dislocation of the hip should then be followed up regularly to ensure that the hip is developing properly.

The screening is available through both GP and self-referral routes, with GP referrals requiring the baby to be at ‘high-risk’ for this condition.

For more information about the hip screening service, please contact the Vale Healthcare Bookings office on 029 2083 6714.