Abstract:Purpose: The child with a painful swollen knee must be worked-up for possible septic arthritis; the classic clinical prediction algorithms for septic arthritis of the hip may not be the best models to apply to the knee.Materials and methods: This was a retrospective case-control study of 17 years of children presenting to one hospital with a chief complaint of a painful swollen knee, to evaluate the appropriateness of applying a previously described clinical practice algorithm for the hip in differentiating be… Show more
Limping refers to an asymmetrical gait that deviates from the typical gait pattern expected for a child of a certain age. In most children, limping is caused by a mild, self-limiting event,
such as a contusion, strain, or sprain. However, a child's limping is always a pathological finding
that poses a particular diagnostic challenge and necessitates a thorough assessment. The pediatrician
must weigh a wide range of acute and chronic potential causes of a non-traumatic limp, including
infection, neoplasia, and chronic inflammatory disorders. A thorough history and clinical examination will help us arrive at the correct diagnosis. Understanding the typical gait is essential to recognizing and correctly interpreting the disordered one. The examination of child limping involves using a variety of diagnostic methods. Efficient and cost-effective diagnosis and treatment of the underlying condition requires a systematic approach. This review provides the pediatric rheumatologist perspective and approach for evaluating non-traumatic limp in children, with a focus on the use
of point-of-care (PoC) musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) as a crucial tool in daily practice.
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