How to Care for Your Child with Transient Synovitis
This leaflet will provide you with information about a transient synovitis causes, diagnosis, treatment and home care advice.
![How to Care for Your Child with Transient Synovitis](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Transient-Synovitis-of-Hip-joint.jpg)
What is Transient Synovitis?
It is inflammation of the lining of the hip joint. They sometime call it “irritable hip”. It affects children between 2-8 years old. Boys are more commonly affected than girls
What are the causes of Transient Synovitis?
- While the exact cause is unknown, Usually, it happens after a viral infection
- It is thought to happen because the immune system is trying to fight the infection.
What are the symptoms of Transient Synovitis?
Your child might have the following symptoms:
- Pain over the hip joint, this is usually sudden and affects one side
- Limping or walking on the tip of his toes
- Referred pain over his/her knee or thigh. This means when you have an injury in one area of your body but feel pain somewhere else.
- He /she might may refuse to use the affected leg (refuse to walk or cry while walking)
- There may be a recent history of viral infection
- Your child might have low grade fever
How Transient Synovitis is diagnosed?
- After examining your child, your doctor might request some tests such as;
- ultrasound of the hip joint
- blood test
- The aim of these tests is to exclude more serious conditions
How Transient Synovitis is treated?
- Transient synovitis is a self-limiting condition and normally resolve and settle with time with no consequencies.
- If your doctor advises to give medicine, you can give
- Paracetamol (any brand) or Ibuprofen (any brand)
- Follow the instruction on the medicine package for the correct dose for your child
- Do not give your child Aspirin as this can cause serious complications
- Symptoms should start to improve within 3-5 days with full recovery within 10 days
Home care advise:
- Ensure you child get an adequate rest
- Use of medicines as advised
- Gradual return to regular activity and avoid sports till full recovery
Go to the Emergency Department if:
- the pain lasts for more than 10 days
- the pain is not responding to pain medicines
- there is joint redness or swelling
- your child developed high fever