My seven year old son has Perthes disease in his right leg. I have been doing therapy and glucosomine and chondroitin. Does anyone know any other treatments for this disease. The doctors are clueless.
Rachelle

Dear Rachelle,

Can you describe this disease for us and the particular way that your child has it? As you know, 5 of us could have the flu, yet we'd all have it slightly differently, with one person constantly sleeping, while another is pacing, unable to get comfortable in any position, and so on. It is these idiocyncracies that we need to learn about your son's condition in order to help him with homeopathy.

Snoopy

O.K. Legg Perthes disease is considered a rare disease that usually boys age 4-10 can develop. The ratio of boys to girls is 3 to 1. This disease causes the blood vessels that travel to the top of the leg where it fits in the hip joint to shutoff for a period of time. Due to lack of blood flow to this area the round part of the bone that fits in joint space deteriorates.. Sometimes the whole head of this bone dies sometimes it is milder. The doctors have no idea why this happens. All studies that show links have studies that say the opposite. Theories are trauma, virus, steroid use, heredity, smoking, protein difficiencies. This disease also causes stiffening of the muscles in the leg. Therapy can usually reverse this but sometimes the tendons are cut and stretched with a brace. Depending on how much of the bone deteriorates, the healed bone can grow back normal or misshaped which will lead to surgery. The long term effects can be arthritis later in the hip and early hip replacement. This happens when the disease is more severe and the bone does not heal well. The length of the disease is usually 2-5 years with the following phases.
1.Restriction of blood flow
2.Evidence on x-ray of ball getting smaller or flattening
3.Deterioration evident on x-ray
4.Reossification of bone (healing)
5.Healed bone sometimes normal sometimes not which means it has grown back too large or not round.
The deterioration usually last about 8 months and the bone growing back can last 2-? years. My sons case seems to be mild so far. He has lost almost 50% of bone and may be in the healing stage. The only diagnosis for this disease is 1.symptoms which are limping, groin,knee, or upper thigh pain, muscle tightening, and muscle loss. 2.Evidence on x-ray. My son had fairly extensive blood work done 3 different times which came back fine before x-rays confirmed Perthes. I hope I have given enough info. Any questions please ask.
Rachelle

Hello. Me again. Just to make sure you have the info you need, I will give you the history of this disease with my child. At the end of Feb.2001 my son was six and he developed a flu like virus. He had a fever for a week but only vomited 2 times. The pediatrician said it was the flu. He had body aches also especially legs. He got over the flu then a few days later lost his voice for 2 days. This was a recurrent symptom for about 5 months. At least once a month he would lose his voice. The ped. said it was a cold each time. O.K. back to begginning, About the first week of March he developed a limp. This lasted a few days and went away. About 7-10 days later it came back and this time it was painful if we moved his leg sideways. The ped diagnosed synovitis of the hip. This is inflammation of the hip joint I guess due to the virus. The ped. said it would go away in a few weeks and give him anti-inflamatory med. Well it didnt go away and he was starting to lose muscle so we took him to an orthopedic doctor. He thought it was Perthes but could not be sure until x-rays showed it. At this time he put him on naproxin for inflamation of joint and I started therapy 3 times a day to increase flexibility and strengthen muscles. He was on naproxin approximately 6 weeks and then the doctors and I decided to take him off. This constant medication made me nervous. He turned seven at the end of June and by this time he was not limping nearly as much, flexibility was alot better, and his muscles were built back up to almost normal. This was due to therapy. The x-rays still did not confirm deterioration yet. His July 5 x-ray indicated the right ball was a little smaller than the unaffected left one. The ortho also thought there may be a sign of deterioration but could not be sure. I slowed on the therapy which is stretching and strengethening excercises around Aug. because I thought he was getting better. When school started the stiffness came back due to the sitting, lack of enough therapy, and he also grew which will make them stiffen with this disease. The ortho recommended more therapy which has helped. He was x-rayed again at the end of Nov. This x-ray showed the deterioration. The ortho just said to do the therapy and come back in 2 months. His last x-ray was Jan.24. It showed little or no change and there may be signs it is starting to heal. This disease is very slow progressing. I am doing the exercises with him, he swims 2-3 days a week, I give him glucosomin, chondroitin,MSM,Tumeric,Boswella Serrata Extract combo supplement and antioxodent vitamins for children. I also massage the leg everyday. He does not seem to have pain with this except when he starts to stiffen again and the stretching sometimes hurts. I hope I am not dragging on. Please reply.
Rachelle

hello
don't fear about this disease.homoeopathy can cure it.This complaint is 5 times common in boys.It affects the head of the femur and necrosis occur and there by flattening of the head of femur and limping is hte result.This condition is more occur in children with low birth weight and delayed milestone.In 12%there is family history.
I saw one case in my student days.The X ray showed necrosis and flatened head of femur and the child was limping.It is completely cured by homoeopathy and later x ray showed a normal femur head.The medicine given for that child was calc phos6x and Phos in high potency.
So please consult a hompath as early as possible

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<a href="http://www.pannakkal.com" target="_blank">www.pannakkal.com</a>

Calc phos was the remedy I thought of initially, too--it has the pains in joints and bones and is often thought of as a remedy for use in children who experience these kinds of bone pains--often just casually described as "growing" pains. Legg Perth disease is one pathology which should be considered when children complain of these pains. Thanks, Rachelle, for bringing such an ailment to light--in future I'll know to have it ruled out when a parent brings a child in with these symptoms.

In this case, choosing a good remedy should not be the big priority in treatment--the priority should be case management...and as Dr. Pannakal suggests, having the homeopath available to continually oversee case is REALLY necessary. There are some good referral sites you may find useful to help you locate a competent, qualified practitioner near you.

One of them: www.homeopathy-cures.com

The ones listed in bold are the most highly recommended practitioners.

Divina

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...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

Dear Rachelle,

I hope you can find a homeopath near you. Meanwhile, Calc-Phos.6X can be bought at your health food store, and I don't imagine any harm can come from allowing 2 pellets to melt in his mouth 4 times as day--as per the instructions on the bottle. I would give this a month's trial, unless you see a homeopath and he feels that something else is in order.

Needless to say, if any homeopathic medicine makes your child's symptoms worse, stop taking it.

I'm sorry that I have no experience with this condition. I hope you find the help you need.

Good luck,
Snoopy

Dear Rachelle,

Feel free to check back here with us if you have any questions about your homeopathic care.

Sincerely,
Snoopy

Hello. Does anyone know if there are any possible side effects in using calcium phosphate?
Rachelle

Thank you all for replying so soon. I linked on locations and found a homeopath close by. I am going to call. I have some issues with my own health I would like some info on. Maybe I'll post about that later and get some suggestions. Conventional medicine can be good, but it is too dependent on pharmasutical companies and insurance to put all trust into. Thanks again and any more comments welcome.
Rachelle