Our world-renowned orthopedic doctors offer a comprehensive limb length discrepancy program for children from birth through age 18 who have a limb deformity or an unequal limb length.
At Nemours, we treat the whole child, not just the condition. The compassionate expertise of our doctors — coupled with our child-centered, family-oriented atmosphere — helps to minimize the stress families and patients often experience throughout the evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation process of a limb length discrepancy.
Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington
1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19803
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Phone: (302) 651-4200
- Atanda, Alfred Jr., MD
- Bowen, J. Richard, MD
- Connor, Justin R, MD
- Dabney, Kirk W., MD
- Gabos, Peter G., MD
- Holden, Candice P., MD
- Kruse, Richard W., DO
- Mackenzie, William G., MD
- Miller, Freeman, MD
- Nichols, Louise Reid, MD
- O'Brien, Kathleen B., MD
- Shah, Suken A., MD
- Smith, Angela Dorman, MD
- Thacker, Mihir M., MD
- Ty, Jennifer M, MD
- photo ID
- medical and pharmacy insurance cards
- preferred pharmacy name and phone number
- names and dosage of all medications, including over-the-counter medication, your child is currently taking
- guardianship and custody papers, if a legal guardian rather than a parent accompanies your child
New Patients
Bring these forms for your first appointment:
Returning Patients
- Patient Presents without Legal Guardian (PDF)
Note: A parent or legal guardian must be with a child for a first visit.
New Patient Forms
Returning Patient Forms
- Patient Presents without Legal Guardian (PDF)
Note: A parent or legal guardian must be with a child for a first visit.
Resources for Patients & Families
- Insurance We Accept: See accepted insurance, listed by location
- Pay Your Bill: Use online bill pay or send by mail
- Financial Assistance: Help with your child's health care expenses
- MyNemours: Access your child’s medical record online
Support Services & Information
- Ronald McDonald House of Delaware: a safe, free, family-centered home away from home when your child is sick and needs to be hospitalized
- CaringBridge: a free site offering support and communication to help your family through your child's medical journey.
Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, named one of the best children’s hospitals in the country for Orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report, has a comprehensive Limb Length Discrepancy Program that helps children from birth through age 18 with a limb deformity or an unequal limb length.
Providing diagnostic evaluation and treatment designed to improve function and well-being, we rely on a team approach that combines the expertise of:
- orthopedic surgeons
- radiologists
- physical therapists
- orthotists (specialists who fit your child for a brace or splint)
We also frequently consult with specialists from Genetics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Child Life to provide the most comprehensive range of services — all under one roof.
We treat a variety of limb length discrepancy conditions, including:
Congenital malformations, such as:
- fibular hemimelia: absence of part of the fibula
- congenital short femur: when a child is born with a short femur, the bone in the upper leg, between the hip and knee
- hemihypertrophy: overgrowth of one side of the body
Acquired problems, such as:
- trauma: bone fractures
- infection that damages growth plates: resulting in severe shortening or deformities
Limb length discrepancy caused by disease:
including neurofibromatosis and Blount’s disease
At the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, we offer children both surgical and non-surgical treatment options, including:
- epiphysiodesis: surgical slowing of the growth of the longer leg
- limb lengthening: using external devices and the latest emerging technologies
- limb shortening
- limb deformity correction
- shoe lifts and bracing
Whatever kind of limb length discrepancy your child has, know that at Nemours we do whatever it takes to give your child the very best, most compassionate treatment possible. We treat every child as we would our own — your child, our promise.
