TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 211. The Limping Child A1 - Copley, Lawson A. B. A2 - Rudolph, Colin D. A2 - Rudolph, Abraham M. A2 - Lister, George E. A2 - First, Lewis R. A2 - Gershon, Anne A. PY - 2011 T2 - Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e AB - Among the causes of gait abnormality in childhood, those that should be kept in mind in acute settings include infection, trauma, and malignancy. Children who develop a limp acutely should be evaluated carefully with a detailed history and physical examination, appropriate radiographs and laboratory studies, and timely referral for subspecialty evaluation in order to exclude these potentially worrisome causes. When necessary, the lower extremity should be carefully immobilized and protected from weight bearing until a definitive diagnosis can be achieved. When infection is suspected, the workup should be conducted in either an observation or inpatient status until the diagnosis is confirmed or excluded. This ensures that appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic resources can be brought to bear in a timely manner before the infection worsens without a correct diagnosis. Regardless of the underlying cause of the limp, vigilance is necessary in order to make an accurate diagnosis in a timely manner to ensure the best outcome. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/04/19 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=7020254 ER -