Limp
- If your child starts limping, it’s usually the sign of a minor injury such as a sprain. However, if they haven’t had an obvious injury, they may need to be seen by a healthcare professional to look for other possible causes
- Irritable hip is the common cause of hip pain and limping in a child. It often occurs after a recent viral illness such as a cold, sore throat, or diarrhoea and vomiting and is caused by inflammation of the lining of the joint and fluid inside the joint. Its peak age of onset is 5/6 years
- However, irritable hip shares the symptoms of more serious hip conditions, such as septic arthritis (an infection inside the hip) and if your child has a fever, they should be seen urgently by a healthcare professional.
When should you worry?
If your child has any of the following:
- Is pale, mottled and feels abnormally cold to touch
- Is going blue around the lips
- Becomes extremely agitated, confused or very lethargic (difficult to wake)
- Has a fit / seizure
- Develops a rash that does not disappear with pressure (see the ‘Glass Test’)
- If you think that your child has broken a bone
You need urgent help
Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999
If your child has any of the following:
- Is unable to put any weight on their leg
- Is no better after 48 hours
- Develops a fever above 38.5°C
You need to contact a doctor or nurse today
Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 – dial 111
We recognise that during the current COVID-19 crisis, at peak times, access to a health care professional may be delayed. If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 111 staff, then consider taking them to your nearest Emergency Department
If your child continues to have pain/limp that is slowly improving but he/she is otherwise well
Additional advice is also available to young families for coping with crying of well babies – click here
Self care
Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111
What should you do?
- Give your child regular ibuprofen for a few days. You can also give paracetamol as per the instructions on the packaging to help with the pain
- Your child should rest as much as possible until the symptoms have resolved. You can then allow your child to gradually return to their usual activities
How long will will it take for your child to get better?
- Your child should start getting better within a couple of days
- If they are no better within 48 hours, or not back to normal within 7 days, you should arrange for them to be seen by your GP
For more information on Limp, click here
Where should you seek help?
- If it is non-urgent, speak to your local pharmacist or health visitor.
- If your child has any of the above features, urgently see your GP. For an urgent out-of-hours GP appointment, call NHS 111.
- You should only call 999 or go your nearest A&E department in critical or life threatening situations
