Child with cerebral palsy confidently walking with support.

Hip Surveillance for Children with Cerebral Palsy: What Parents Need to Know

Soraya Malik in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Navigating hip health in children with cerebral palsy: A comprehensive guide for parents on surveillance, early detection, and proactive care."

Cerebral palsy affects movement and posture, often leading to hip displacement in children. This condition can cause pain and impair their ability to sit, stand, and walk. As a parent, understanding hip surveillance programs is crucial for ensuring your child receives timely and effective care.

Hip surveillance involves regular monitoring of your child's hips to detect any early signs of displacement. Early detection allows for prompt intervention, which can prevent hip dislocation and avoid the need for more invasive surgery later on. This proactive approach is essential for maintaining your child's comfort and mobility.

While hip surveillance programs are well-established in Europe, Australasia, and parts of Canada, they are not yet standardized in the United States. This lack of uniformity can make it challenging for parents to navigate the healthcare system and ensure their child receives consistent care. This guide aims to provide you with the information you need to advocate for your child's hip health.

Why is Hip Surveillance Important for Children with Cerebral Palsy?

Child with cerebral palsy confidently walking with support.

Hip displacement in children with cerebral palsy can lead to several complications, including pain, reduced mobility, and decreased quality of life. Early detection and intervention are key to preventing these issues. Hip surveillance programs aim to identify children at risk of hip displacement and provide timely treatment to stabilize the hip joint.

The primary goal of hip surveillance is to ensure that hip displacement is detected early enough to enable timely referral for orthopaedic assessment and management. Hip dislocation may lead to pain; functional impairment affecting the ability to sit, stand and walk; as well as impaired quality of life. Early identification and orthopaedic intervention have been shown to prevent hip dislocation and avoid the need for future salvage surgery.

Early Detection: Hip surveillance helps identify hip displacement early, allowing for prompt intervention.
Pain Management: Prevents pain associated with hip dislocation, improving your child's comfort.
Improved Mobility: Preserves your child's ability to sit, stand, and walk, enhancing their independence.
Enhanced Quality of Life: Contributes to a better overall quality of life by reducing pain and improving mobility.
Reduced Need for Surgery: Early intervention can prevent the need for more invasive surgical procedures in the future.

The American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine has begun to develop a clinical care pathway for hip surveillance, which will synthesize the current surveillance programs across the world into 1 common document. This pathway, which is being developed with the help of POSNA members, will serve as a guideline for both American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and POSNA, helping to decrease practice variation, and ultimately improve the quality and value of care that we provide to our patients and families.

Taking Action for Your Child's Hip Health

As a parent, you play a vital role in ensuring your child receives the best possible care for their hip health. Stay informed about hip surveillance programs, advocate for early detection, and work closely with your child's healthcare team to develop a personalized treatment plan. By taking these steps, you can help your child maintain their mobility, reduce pain, and enjoy a higher quality of life.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the main purpose of Hip Surveillance for children with Cerebral Palsy?

The primary goal of Hip Surveillance is early detection of hip displacement. This proactive approach allows for timely orthopaedic assessment and management, which can prevent hip dislocation. Early intervention is crucial to prevent pain, functional impairment affecting the ability to sit, stand and walk, and to avoid the need for future salvage surgery. It significantly enhances a child's overall quality of life by maintaining mobility and reducing pain.

Why is Hip Surveillance so important for children with Cerebral Palsy?

Hip Surveillance is critical because children with Cerebral Palsy often experience hip displacement, which can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and a decreased quality of life. Early detection through Hip Surveillance allows for prompt intervention, preventing these complications. It helps maintain the child's ability to sit, stand, and walk, thus enhancing their independence. By identifying and addressing hip issues early, the need for more invasive surgical procedures in the future can be significantly reduced.

What are the benefits of early detection of hip displacement through Hip Surveillance?

Early detection of hip displacement through Hip Surveillance offers several significant benefits. These include effective pain management, preventing the pain associated with hip dislocation, and improved mobility, preserving the child's ability to sit, stand, and walk. Additionally, it enhances the overall quality of life by reducing pain and increasing mobility. Crucially, early intervention can prevent the need for more invasive surgeries later in life. Early identification and orthopaedic intervention have been shown to prevent hip dislocation and avoid the need for future salvage surgery.

How does Hip Surveillance help improve the quality of life for children with Cerebral Palsy?

Hip Surveillance directly contributes to a better quality of life for children with Cerebral Palsy in several ways. It prevents pain and improves mobility by ensuring timely intervention if hip displacement is detected. This helps maintain the child's ability to perform daily activities like sitting, standing, and walking, enhancing their independence and overall well-being. Early detection through Hip Surveillance also reduces the likelihood of needing more complex and invasive surgical procedures, leading to a less stressful experience for both the child and the family.

What is the current status of Hip Surveillance programs in the United States compared to other regions, and what does this mean for parents?

Currently, Hip Surveillance programs are not standardized in the United States, unlike in Europe, Australasia, and parts of Canada. This lack of uniformity can pose challenges for parents as they navigate the healthcare system to ensure their child receives consistent care. However, there's progress: The American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine is developing a clinical care pathway for Hip Surveillance, with the assistance of POSNA members. This initiative aims to synthesize existing surveillance programs into a single, standardized document, helping decrease practice variation and improve the care provided to patients and families in the U.S.