Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a problem with the way a baby's hip joint forms before, during, or after birth - causing an unstable hip. In severe cases, the hip joint can dislocate or cause trouble walking.

Mild cases of DDH usually get better on their own as a baby grows. More severe cases may need treatment with a brace or surgery to reposition the hip and allow for proper healing.

At your baby's checkups, the doctor will examine the hips to look for DDH. Identifying and treating the problem early will help a child avoid muscle, joint, and skeletal problems down the road.

What Happens in DDH?
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The "ball" is the rounded top of the thighbone (the femoral head); the "socket" is a cup-shaped bone that the ball fits into (the acetabulum).

When a child has a mild case of DDH, the ball moves back and forth slightly in the socket, causing an unstable hip. In more serious cases, the ball becomes dislocated and moves completely out of the socket. In the most severe cases, the ball may not even reach the socket where it should be held in place.

Hip dislocations are fairly uncommon, affecting just 1 in 1,000 newborns. However, some degree of hip instability happens in as many as 1 in 3 newborns. Girls are more likely than boys to have hip dislocations.