3 Yr Old with Chronic Hip Pain

Updated on February 24, 2017
K.N. asks from Appleton, WI
10 answers

My son has been suffering a year and half with hip/leg pain only in his right leg. His pediatrician referred him to a couple different specialists and they all find nothing on his x-rays MRIs ECT. Blood work is OK. The latest orthopedic dr knows the pain is coming from the hip, he has trouble bearing weight, he can't seem to keep it straight, and he can't sleep comfortably. The pain comes on and off at times its severe. He will also walk with a limp at times. The Dr says there is something wrong but he is puzzled because the tests come back OK. So we wait it out to see if it gets better, the Dr said it could take years. Anyone else go through a similar situation? My gut tells me there is something more to this but we have seen different doctors and he was even seen at Mayo Clinic

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So What Happened?

So after another year of my son living in pain my son had a M.R.I done on his brain which showed he has Chiari 1 Malformation, which is a condition of his skull being smaller and part of the cerebellum is being pushed into his spinal cord and as of right now the spinal fluid is diminshing. This is something that he will live with for ever the treatment is a decompression surgery. Thanks for all your input.

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B.A.

answers from Minneapolis on

My oldest daughter had the same symptoms at 3. I took her to a Chiropractor and within a few treatments the symptoms were gone. That is the next thing I would do.

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E.B.

answers from Honolulu on

Has anyone considered Ehlers Danlos Syndrome or Mixed Connective Tissue Disease? Has he seen a rheumatologist or a geneticist? There are no clinical tests for Ehlers Danlos but there are definite markers that a geneticist or rheumatologist can find. What kind of doctors did he see at Mayo? My daughter has been seen there on several occasions.

And did anything occur right before he started having pain? Was there a virus, an illness, etc?

Sorry, no answers, but maybe a couple of things you haven't considered yet?

2 moms found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Detroit on

Hi K.,

I agree with the posts below. If your mom alarm is going off you have to heed it. Have you considered having him looked at by a chiropractor? He could be out of alignment and/or that leg could be shorter or longer than the other causing a displacement.

I say keep digging until you get something definitive. Hoping he feels better soon!! S.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.B.

answers from Beaumont on

Could this be something a chiropractor could manage? I kid you not, one time we came back from vacation, a 6 hour flight and my back was killing me, I have no idea what I did but it hurt like you can't imagine. One trip to my chiropractor and I skipped out of the office. A good one is a GODSEND! I'd get some good referrals and go that route. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I know that seems like a simplistic answer but maybe it IS something simple.

1 mom found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

My nephew started limping a lot at age 3 and over the next couple years it would come and go. He finally was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Have you seen a rheumatologist? My nephew had to have injections of drugs for a while and now he is in remission and is doing well. Your poor son...it also sounds like something is out of place in his hip or even that one leg is shorter than another which over time can cause pain. I think going to a good chiropractor can't hurt and it might be helpful. PS - I have severe back issues they say are probably due to one leg being a bit shorter than the other. I have been to so many doctors/experts and have even flown out to see "the best" at the Cleveland Clinic. No doctors have been all that helpful sadly. You really have to keep doing research yourself and keep trying to figure this out..it takes a lot of work. I hope you can figure it out soon.

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N.Z.

answers from Los Angeles on

What a frustrating situation for you. You are your child's best advocate. Go with your gut and keep seeking answers!

T.D.

answers from Springfield on

i would keep seeing drs and having new tests done till someone finds and fixes the cause. referred pain from a spine or knee problem... lupus, lyme disease, ms, pulled or torn muscle or ligament thats not showing on tests... just to name a few possibilities.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I heard once of a child who all of a sudden couldn't walk - at all - for something like 6 months.
It was some sort of obscure bone virus - doctor after doctor couldn't figure it out but finally one did.
But after 6 months - suddenly - the kid just got up and walked again just fine.
The virus had to run it's course but once it was done, it was over with no lasting side effects.
I don't know what the hip problem is but I hope it's easily fixed/healed.

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter had intense knee pain and not one doctor could really figure it out. Her Physical Therapist did the trick. She had a strained meniscus, that didn't show up on any of her testing of scans. I know 3 is young, but I would recommend PT.

V.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

Our son experienced something like B described, only it only lasted a few days, not 6 months. It occurred after having a cold virus. Toxic synovitis. See if that fits your son's symptoms and ask if his doctors have ruled it out. Other than that, as the other moms suggest, keep following up however you can, b/c mommy gut says they have missed something. I wouldn't just sit and wait it out for my child in pain to suffer with no diagnosis and no relief.

Our son was never diagnosed officially with toxic synovitis, but it fit every symptom. Nothing showed on his blood work, either, except some slightly off electrolytes.

http://www.healthline.com/health/toxic-synovitis

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