One of the earliest signs of Perthes is a change in the way your child walks and runs. This is often most apparent during sports activities. Your child may limp especially after running or sports activities. Other common symptoms include:

• Pain in the hip or groin, or in other parts of the leg, such as the thigh or knee (called “referred pain.”).
• Pain that worsens with activity and is relieved with rest.
• Painful muscle spasms that may be caused by irritation around the hip.

Depending upon your child’s activity level, symptoms may come and go over a period of weeks or even months before a doctor visit is considered.

X-Rays – These scans create pictures of dense structures like bone, and are required to confirm a diagnosis of Perthes. X-rays will show the condition of the bone in the femoral head and help determine the stage of the disease.

A child with Perthes can expect to have multiple X-rays taken during treatment, as the condition progresses, x-rays often look worse before improvement is seen.