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Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is a term commonly used in infants who have instability, or looseness, of the hip joint. The hip socket may be shallower than normal and not fully formed at birth. Therefore the hip does not fit properly and securely into the hip socket. The hip is either described as subluxable or dislocatable.
Normally the child will undergo non-surgical treatment to maintain the position of the hip in a correct alignment. An abduction splint or Pavlik Harness helps to keep the hips in the correct position. The splint / harness has to be worn for about 3 to 6 months. Your child will be reviewed regularly during this time to ensure that the splint fits well. If the hip does not reduce with the use of splint / harness, surgical methods may be used to reduce the hip. After surgery, a plaster cast will be used to maintain the correct position.