Some reasons why your toddler is suddenly walking with a limp could be due to a minor injury, splinter in their foot, tight shoes or even a condition called transient synovitis.
Toddlers are prone to falling and minor accidents which can result in a twisted ankle, bump on their leg or even a small injury to the toddlers foot which could cause the toddler to limp.
Splinters, tight shoes or even blisters on the toddlers feet can also result in limping.
Or if your toddler has any any recent injections it could be causing the site of the injection to be sore and cause limping.
Check your toddlers feet to see if there's any splinters or something in their foot.
Also toddler fractures such as spiral fractures of the tibia is common and can be caused by falls or twisting injuries.
And in some cases bone or joint infections can cause pain and limping that is often accompanied by fever and swelling.
Other conditions that can cause a toddler to limp are developmental dysplasia of the hip or even slipped capital femoral epiphysis and tumors.
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip is where the hip joint does not form properly, which can cause limping, especially in young children and infants.
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis is a condition that involves the slippage of the ball of the hip joint, which leads to pain and limping.
A condition that can cause a toddler to limp is called transient synovitis also called irritable hip and is often a result of a viral infection.
Transient synovitis involves the inflammation of the hip joint lining, which can lead to limping and pain.
Transient synovitis is a temporary inflammation of the hip joint, often following a viral illness such as an upper respiratory infection or even a cold.
Toddlers and kids with transient synovitis often exhibit refusal to bear weight on the affected leg and have hip or thigh pain as well as limping and sometimes a low grade fever.
Transient synovitis in toddlers is a common and temporary condition in toddlers and children that causes hip pain and limping.
Transient synovitis often occurs in toddlers and children between the ages of 3 to 10 years old and it often follows a viral illness such as a stomach bug or cold virus.
The transient synovitis condition is often self limiting and resolves within a week or two weeks with supportive care.
It rarely causes any long term problems.
Transient synovitis is also called irritable hip and toxic synovitis.
The symptoms of transient synovitis include hip pain that may be mild initially and get worse over a few days or the hip pain may also have a sudden onset.
Other symptoms of transient synovitis are limping or refusal to walk, pain in the knee area or thigh, pain with movement of the hip joint and some children with transient synovitis may also adopt a position to relieve pain, like lying on their back with the affected leg bent and turned out.
The exact cause of transient synovitis is not known, although it often occurs after a viral infection, which suggests that the body's immune response to the virus might play a role in inflammation and some cases of transient synovitis may be linked to a previous injury.
Doctors will often diagnose transient synovitis based on the child's symptoms, through a physical examination and by ruling out other conditions like septic arthritis, which requires immediate treatment and the doctor might order blood tests or X-rays to help rule out other potential causes and assess the level of inflammation and in some cases, fluid from the hip joint may be collected and analyzed to rule out infection.