The following symptoms and complaints may occur together with child limping (limping child):
Leading symptom
- Limping child or limping child.
Associated symptoms
- Fever
- Morning stiffness
- Pain in one or more joints (arthralgia/joint pain).
Warning signs (red flags)
- Young (about > 9 years of age) + weight problems (children are or were usually very obese (5.9-fold increased risk of later epiphyseolysis capitis femoris)) + groin pain → think of: Epiphyseolysis capitis femoris (femoral head dislocation) (children + adolescents).
- Arthralgia (joint pain) + morning stiffness (> 60 minutes) → think: juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA; synonyms: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), juvenile chronic arthritis, JCA).
- Symptoms of arthritis (joint inflammation): redness, hyperthermia, pain + limited mobility of the affected joint → think of: (purulent) arthritis
- Severe restriction of movement or tenderness → think of: Fracture (bone fracture), severe arthritis (joint inflammation) or osteomyelitis (bone marrow inflammation).
- Fever → think of: Osteomyelitis (bone marrow inflammation), purulent arthritis (joint inflammation).
