Paediatric Orthopaedics

 

Development of A Child’s Musculoskeletal System

Ossification, the name of the process of bone development, begins at the eighth week of embryonic development and continues throughout a child’s childhood until they are a young adult. Newborns have around 300 bones, many of which are entirely made of cartilage – a type of tough connective tissue. These bones will later fuse to form the 206 bones of the adult skeletal system. The cartilage is also slowly replaced by bone during this process. Bone growth happens at the ends of a child’s bones, which are covered by growth plates. These growth plates determine the final shape and size of the bone and close once the child has stopped growing.

 

Causes & Risk Factors of Paediatric Orthopaedic Conditions

As cartilage is much softer than bone, children are typically a lot more flexible than adults. Moreover, growth plates are softer than the rest of the skeletal system. Combined with children generally being more active, this often puts them at risk of sustaining orthopaedic injuries. Other risk factors include:

 

• Not consuming enough Vitamin D and calcium which are essential nutrients for bone growth
• Regularly playing sports 
• Excess weight as it exerts more pressure on the bones

 

Common Paediatric Orthopaedic Conditions

 

Is Your Child Experiencing Any of These Paediatric Orthopaedic Conditions?

 

Common Symptoms of Paediatric Orthopaedic Conditions

Symptoms vary between different conditions. For common orthopaedic injuries such as sprains, strains, and fractures, symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move the injured area. In such cases, visiting a doctor and getting it properly treated is important in ensuring that it does not interfere with bone growth.

 

Orthopaedic conditions such as scoliosis and flat feet in children are typically uncovered during health checkups and careful monitoring by doctors can help in curing them.