Children have different needs and risks that adults do not, as they are continuing their growth and development into adulthood. What’s more, they cannot always tell you what is bothering them the way adults can. Nor are they always patient and cooperative during medical examinations. All of this means that when your child has a bone or muscle related disorder, you need the best orthopedist you can find. After all, choosing the best pediatric orthopaedist is vital when your child’s health and wellbeing is at stake. Below are some helpful tips for choosing only the best pediatric orthopedist for your child.
What is a pediatric Orthopaedist?
A pediatric orthopaedist is an extensively trained and experienced doctor who evaluates and treats musculoskeletal (bone, joint, and muscle) problems in growing children. This ranges from newborn babies through the teenage years. They have chosen to make the care of children the focus of their medical practice, and their offices will often reflect that, as they are usually arranged and decorated with toys, videos, and reading materials for the child to feel comfortable and nonthreatened.
Because children are still growing, their bodies response to injuries, infections, and deformities can often be different than what would be seen in an adult. Some children have problems with their bones that are the result of growth that would not occur in adults. Some problems with children are just variations of growth that may resolve itself over time, others tend to show up in early childhood.
When evaluation and treatment are needed, they are usually quite different than for an adult. Pediatric orthopaedists specialize in the diagnoses, treatment, and management of children’s musculoskeletal problems, including congenital deformities, growth-related disorders, hereditary orthopedic disorders, and others:
- Metatarsus adductus (a foot deformity)
- Congenital limb defects
- Muscular dystrophy (an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system)
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip
- Osteogenesis imperfecta (a brittle bone disorder)
- Femoral anteversion (a twisting of the thighbone)
- Tibial Torsion (an inward twisting of the shin bone)
- Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease (a disease that reduces blood flow to the hip)
- Osgood-Schlatter disease (inflammation of the bone, tendon or cartilage on the shinbone)
- Slipped capital femoral epiphysis
- Scoliosis
- Kyphosis (a genetic disorder of the spine)
If you need help choosing the best pediatric orthopedist for your child, consider asking your family doctor or pediatrician. You can also do some online research to learn more about a given orthopedist’s training and background, as well as their overall ranking with online resources such as Healthgrades. And lastly, request a consultation. Bring your child and watch how they interact. Bring questions like: What would be your treatment plan? What do you expect the recovery time to be? How long have you been in practice?
At Orthopaedic Associates, our board certified, fellowship trained physicians are experts in all areas of orthopedic medicine. Choosing the best pediatric orthopaedist for your child can seem daunting, but we are here for you every step of the way. For more information on our exceptional pediatric orthopedic doctors, please call Orthopaedic Associates at (440) 892-1440.