Differential diagnosis of the limping child

• Developmental dysplasia of hip
• Fracture
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease
• Malignancy of hip or leg (osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma)
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Osteomyelitis of femur
• Osteomyelitis / diskitis
• Septic arthritis of hip
• Sickle cell pain crisis
• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis
• Transient synovitis of hip

Approach to the differential diagnosis of the limping child: A practical approach by age

• 1-3 years – transient synovitis of hip, septic arthritis of hip, fracture, osteomyeltitis / diskitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, developmental dysplasia of hip
• 4-10 years – transient synovitis of hip, septic arthritis of hip, fracture, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, osteomyelitis / diskitis, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (acute), malignancy, sickle cell pain crisis
• 11+ years – transient synovitis of hip, septic arthritis of hip, fracture, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Osgood-Schlatter, osteomyelitis, malignancy, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, sickle cell pain crisis