Other treatments

Examination under anaesthesia (EUA) – because the hip is painful, it may not be possible to examine it properly with the child awake. An examination under anaesthetic is a short anaesthetic to enable assessment of the hip. There are no disabling effects.

Botox treatment – botulinum toxin injections may be injected in to muscles around the hip to reduce spasm of the muscle. The paralysing effect of botulinum toxin effectively weakens the muscle and can relieve pain and improve range of movement around the hip. The effects wear off after a few months.

Tenotomy - a tenotomy is a small operation on a muscle near the hip joint. It is done when the muscle becomes abnormally short due to prolonged limping. The operation may be followed by 6-8 weeks in a hip spica to ensure the cut muscle does not heal short again.

Bed rest – used to be used for many months at a time. Bed rest is only recommended for a few days at most.

Traction – again used to be for many months in the past – now may be used for a few days to relieve pain.

Drug treatment -:

• Ibuprofen – is a pain killer commonly prescribed to children with Perthes disease.
• Paracetamol (Calpol) – is a painkiller commonly prescribed to children with Perthes Disease.