Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Septic Arthritis of the Hip (Hip Infection in Children)
Septic arthritis of the hip in children is a bacterial infection inside the hip joint causing severe pain, refusal to walk, and high fever - it's a pediatric orthopedic emergency requiring urgent surgical drainage within 12-24 hours to prevent permanent hip damage and avascular necrosis (death of the hip ball), with treatment involving emergency open hip washout and IV antibiotics achieving 90% excellent outcomes if treated promptly, but can cause lifelong hip problems if diagnosis delayed.
📖What is Septic Arthritis of the Hip (Hip Infection in Children)?
Septic arthritis of the hip in children is a bacterial infection inside the hip joint causing severe pain, refusal to walk, and high fever - it's a pediatric orthopedic emergency requiring urgent surgical drainage within 12-24 hours to prevent permanent hip damage and avascular necrosis (death of the hip ball), with treatment involving emergency open hip washout and IV antibiotics achieving 90% excellent outcomes if treated promptly, but can cause lifelong hip problems if diagnosis delayed.
🔬What Causes It?
- Bacterial infection spreading through bloodstream to hip joint (hematogenous spread - most common in children)
- Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (causes 50-60% of cases in children)
- Kingella kingae in young children under 4 years (increasingly recognized cause)
- Streptococcus species (Group A or B Streptococcus)
- Recent viral illness or upper respiratory infection preceding hip symptoms by days to weeks
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Age under 3 years (peak incidence - immature immune system)
- Recent viral illness (temporary immune suppression)
- Skin infections or recent injuries allowing bacteria entry to bloodstream
- Immunocompromised children (rare - chemotherapy, HIV)
- Sickle cell disease (increased infection susceptibility)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Prompt treatment of skin infections and wounds in children (prevents bacteria entering bloodstream)
- ✓Good hygiene practices (handwashing reduces transmission of bacteria)
- ✓Up-to-date vaccinations (Hib vaccine prevents Haemophilus influenzae septic arthritis - now rare due to vaccination)
- ✓Seek medical attention for child with persistent limp or refusal to walk (early diagnosis critical)