At six months our doctor noticed our daughters skin folds on her legs
didn't
match up. Her left but check is also longer than her right. At this
point the
doctor ordered an x-ray, she was concerned that our daughter may have
hip
dysplasia. The x-ray apparently came back negative. Recently at her 1
year
check up my wife again asked about the uneven skin folds. Our doctor has
again
ordered another x-ray. The doctor performed the physical tests, they
didn't
seem to point to hip displasia. We are now very worried. My question is,
can
skin folds that don't line up between the legs be normal? Is the fact
that one
butt check is longer be cause for alarm? What exactly should we be
doing? If
the second x-ray doesn't show anything should we get a second opinion?
Also if
the second x-ray is negative, what is causing my daughter's butt and
skin folds
to be asymetrical? Is there any chance this may be normal and we
shouldn't
worry? Are there any other signs we should look for that may point to
some type
of problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated. We are from Prescott
Valley,
Arizona.
Thanks!
Steve...
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Dear Steve,
We are all different, so a misaligned crease here or there is not a big
deal.
It's relatively easy to measure the legs of a child, and determine if
they are
equal or not. If specifics are needed, an xray of each leg (including
the
pelvis) can determine any differences in leg lengths or pelvis
variation.
You said one butt cheek is bigger, and that can be normal. There is a
rare
syndrome in which the one side of the body is larger than the other side
of the
body and is called Beckwith-Weidemann syndrome. In this case, the entire
right
or left side of the body, i.e. arm, leg, butt, face, etc. is larger than
the
other side (there are a few other causes of this). Also, in this
syndrome, the children can have large tongues, and a problem with their
blood sugar levels. This doesn't sound like your baby.
In summary, if your baby is otherwise developing normally, bearing
weight on
it's legs, and all x-rays are normal, then I would chalk it up to a
normal
variation.
There is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. I would recommend
a board
certified pediatrician, who comes well recommended from your friends or
fellow
workers.
I hope that helps. Dr. MikeGood
luck. Dr. Mike
This
article was reviewed
04/23/2010 07:24 AM
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