Late diagnosis in congenital dislocation of the hip.

In 1966-1975, congenital dislocation of the hip was diagnosed after the neonatal period in 115 children in Uusimaa county in southern Finland; the incidence was 0.76 per thousand liveborns. No decreasing tendency could be seen during the time of the investigation. In most children, the diagnosis was made during the first medical examination at the child welfare clinic at the average age of 3 months. The number of children diagnosed at walking age seemed to be decreasing. The numbers of boys and bilateral affections were smaller in this group than among cases diagnosed during the neonatal period. Dislocation was suspected in 23 per cent of the children even before the diagnosis was made. The reasons for the delay are given and discussed. In 1981, 66 per cent of the children were symptomless and no radiographic signs could be seen. Sixteen per cent of the children had minor residual signs with no need for follow-up, and in 18 per cent the outcome was still unclear.