Some postural defects - such as hip dysplasia - are congenital, but many are the result of parental neglect. Do you know what you need to do to prevent postural defects, such as flat feet, rickets, or a dislocated hip in a child?

As a child grows up, deformed bones and joints can cause a rapidly developing degenerative disease. They will put pressure on various organs, which can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory failure, and in women - problems with becoming pregnant and giving birth to a he althy baby. Some posture defects are congenital. But many of them are the result of parental neglect. Let's not do this to the kids.

Posture defects - dislocation and hip dysplasia

A newborn baby is examined by a neonatologist for hip joints. Unfortunately, such a routine check is not always enough. The most reliable way to detect dislocation of a joint or its underdevelopment (i.e. dysplasia) is ultrasound.

  • Dislocation.This is a prolapse of the femoral head from the acetabulum. It can be congenital, but it also happens when, for example, a doctor fails to pick up the baby during delivery or the mother does not change it correctly. Treatment consists of setting the joint, regular exercises recommended by the pediatrician and the so-called wide diapers (putting on diapers in such a way that the legs are wide apart).
  • Dysplasia.Denotes a birth defect, which is an underdevelopment of the hip joint and is often the cause of dislocation. If rehabilitation does not help, doctors decide to have the child operated on. Dysplasia can affect both joints or one.

What must be done?

  • A baby with dislocation or dysplasia must have legs wide apart, so use the so-called wide diaper. When the doctor orders them, put on special orthopedic equipment on the child's legs - a Koszla stay, a Frejka pillow or a Pawlik harness (you can buy them at the orthopedic supply store on the basis of the doctor's prescription).
  • When changing and dressing, lift the baby by sliding your hand under his buttocks (do not grab the legs!).
  • Dress the baby in loose rompers or rompers.
  • When carrying your baby in your arms, spread its legs so that they hug your belly orhip.
  • Exercise your little one every day. An orthopedic surgeon will teach you how to do it.

What must not be done?

  • Do not restrain the baby's legs, e.g. tightly wrapping them in a diaper or a blanket.
  • When dressing or changing, do not grab your baby's feet and straighten them.
  • Don't carry your baby in your arms too often. If you want, lie down next to him on the couch and hug him.
  • Do not overfeed the child unnecessary decagrams (and even kilograms!) Will additionally burden the flaccid bones.
Important

The child grows faster:

  • during sleep - in the deep sleep phase, the most growth hormone - somatotropin is released. So you need to make sure your baby gets enough sleep and sleeps on a good bed
  • in summer - this is due to a large dose of outdoor exercise, intense sun exposure, an abundance of natural vitamins supplied to the body in fresh fruit and vitamins, and … less stress than during the school year.

Flat feet - lower limb defect

When a child is 4 years old and his footprint - e.g. a wet mark on concrete - still resembles a flat cake, not a croissant, it should give us food for thought. If we notice that it has the so-called heavy gait, his feet are sweating excessively, heels are escaping to the sides and the knees are rubbing more and more against each other, the soles of the shoes are torn more strongly on one side, and the child also complains of pain in the instep - we have to go to the orthopedist. In young children, orthopedic insoles are rather not used to correct flat feet, but exercise orders and wearing good shoes are recommended.

What must be done?

  • Make sure that your child walks barefoot on soft ground as often as possible, e.g. in the summer on the sand on the beach or on the grass. It is a great gymnastics, and the soft surface does not expose the bones to micro-injuries.
  • Encourage them to run, and in time to cycle.
  • Buy good shoes (e.g. from Bartek, Befado). They should be made of soft leather, with a stiff heel counter stabilizing the ankle joint, an upper reaching above the ankle (but two toes at the most) and a relatively thick and flexible sole that absorbs shocks while running and jumping. The toes should be wide, and the thickening under the heel is profiled - this is the so-called Thomas heel: the sole on the inside of the foot is slightly longer. It is best that the shoes are laced.
  • Around the house, let the child wear flip-flops with a profiled sole (it has a recess for the heel) or the so-called fakirkach. Flip-flops force the foot muscles to work while walking, and this strengthens the legs.
  • Make sure your child does foot exercises every day. Setexercises below.

What must not be done?

  • Do not encourage your toddler to walk too early, e.g. by showing him his favorite teddy bear from a distance.
  • Do not buy orthopedic insoles without a doctor's recommendation.
  • Do not make your child wear shoes inherited from older siblings - they are deformed and may deform the developing foot.
  • Do not expose your child to standing still for a long time (especially when straddling), e.g. by gossiping with someone you know on the street. This position distorts the knees and deepens the flat feet (the arches of the feet are too loaded).
  • Do not let your child jump on concrete or asph alt. Hitting the legs against a hard surface can cause micro-damage to the joints, which in later age contribute to degenerative changes in the ankles and small joints of the feet.

Exercise is necessary

Gymnastics strengthens the muscles and ligaments of the legs. It cannot be done without it. Exercise together every day. So that the exercises are not too boring, invent games, for example:

  • Walk on the outer edges of your feet. Offer a race: 10 times around the room.
  • Play on your child's favorite song and say you have to tiptoe all over the place. Who will stand on the whole foot - pays a pen alty or gives a gift
  • While sitting, put a small object on your foot. Extend your knee first with one leg and then the other. To whom the item will fall - this gives the
  • Still sitting, twist one leg at the ankle once, then the other so that your fingers make small circles. Count turns and measure time. The winner is the one who completes more circles in, for example, 2 minutes.
  • Use your toes to lift up and move some small items to the side, e.g. cloths, blocks. Whoever transfers all the trinkets from the pile to the pile within 3 minutes wins.
  • When sitting, place your bare feet on the ends of your cloths. Use your fingers to pick up the material in such a way that the cloth becomes an accordion. Whoever picks up all his material with his fingers first wins.
You must do it

Tell your pediatrician if you notice that:

  • your child unnaturally places his legs (e.g. one is still more shrunken),
  • it is difficult for him to spread his legs so that they freely lie on the sides of the torso,
  • reacts by crying when you try to put them in rompers,
  • the skin folds are arranged differently on the thighs.

Rickets affects the development of posture defects - avoid it!

Adequate diet, daily walks, and regular vitamin D intake3will protect your child from rickets. This disease appears in the periodrapid growth - usually up to 18 months of age. If the body has too little vitamin D3 , then the conversion of phosphorus and calcium is disturbed and the bones are too poorly mineralized (too soft). Then the bones of the skull, chest, legs and spine are deformed.

Vitamin D3the baby gets in the womb through the placenta, so it is so important that the expectant mother has enough of it. If diet and walks on sunny days are not enough, the doctor prescribes the appropriate preparations.

Vitamin D3is formed in the skin under the influence of sunlight, therefore a pregnant woman and then her child must spend as much time outdoors as possible (the skin must be exposed). Egg yolks, fatty fish and fresh butter contain a lot of vitamin D. They should be eaten by a pregnant woman, and then - in due course - by her child

Doctors recommend that babies should be given vitamin D3in drops from around the third week of life. The dose is set by the pediatrician, but usually 1-2 drops a day. Since this vitamin is fat-soluble, it is administered immediately before breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, directly into the baby's mouth, or on a teaspoon of milk or food.

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