Orthopedic Problems

Once devoted exclusively to children’s orthopedics, the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children has been a distinguished leader in the field since 1940. Today, our Orthopedic specialty program is renowned in the community, across the nation, and around the world.

Our goal is to restore function and improve every child’s quality of life by combining dedicated clinical care and the latest research. We’re continually expanding ways to diagnose and treat orthopedic conditions. We were also one of the first in the nation to offer a Gait Lab, using technologically advanced techniques to analyze detailed information about the timing of muscles, forces produced, and the movement of various joints. And we’re able to support all treatment with a state-of-the-art cast room and brace, orthotic, and prosthetic shops—all on site.

Common Conditions

Orthopedic problems that can often be diagnosed in utero (in the mother's womb) include (but aren’t limited to):

• club foot (a group of structural defects of the foot and ankle in which the bones, joints, muscles, and blood vessels didn’t form correctly)
• hand abnormalities or deformities
• limb abnormalities (a limb deformity or an inequality in limb length)
• skeletal dysplasia (a group of conditions characterized by abnormalities in the growth, development, shape, or integrity of the bones and cartilage; the most common feature is dwarfism)
  
• spinal defects

Many orthopedic conditions are associated with other system abnormalities, especially heart and kidney problems. If we discover one of these conditions, we look for others. Detecting any or all of these problems before delivery can help you understand what's happening with your baby and what to expect.