Is swaddling damaging our babies’ hips?

Williams, Nicole; Foster, Bruce K; Cundy, Peter J

doi:10.5694/mja12.10652

Topics

To the Editor: In South Australia, the incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) diagnosed at or after 3 months of age was 0.22 per 1000 live births between 1988 and 2003, corresponding to a rate of 4–5 new cases per year.1

Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, SA.

Correspondence: Peter.Cundy@health.sa.gov.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Azzopardi T, Van Essen P, Cundy PJ, et al. Late diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip: an analysis of risk factors. J Pediatr Orthop B 2011; 20: 1-7.
2. Mahan ST, Kasser JR. Does swaddling influence developmental dysplasia of the hip? Pediatrics 2008; 121: 177-178.
3. Price C. Improper swaddling a risk factor for developmental dysplasia of hip. AAP News 2011; 32: 11.
4. van Sleuwen BE, Engelberts AC, Boere-Boonekamp MM, et al. Swaddling: a systematic review. Pediatrics 2007; 120: e1097-e1106.
5. Yamamuro T, Ishida K. Recent advances in the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip in Japan. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1984; (184): 34-40.

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