NP Board Prep: Pediatric Musculoskeletal Conditions

Wondering what pediatric musculoskeletal conditions you’re likely to encounter as an NP and on your board exam? This video by Ashton Glover, DNP, FNP-C, ENP-C will give you a great overview of some common conditions you’re likely to see in your practice (with a sample exam question at the end!):

In the video, Ashton breaks down the following pediatric musculoskeletal conditions:

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

This is a common cause of knee pain in active adolescents, especially during growth spurts. Kids participating in sports like soccer, basketball, and gymnastics are at risk of developing it.

Osgood-Schlatter’s disease presents with pain and swelling at the tibial tuberosity, and the symptoms are made worse by running, jumping, or kneeling.

Treatment 

Ashton explains the “RICE approach” for treating Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, which stands for: 

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

She also notes patients may benefit from activity modification and over-the-counter medications (painkillers). The good news is for most patients, Osgood-Schlatter disease resolves when a child completes their growth spurt.

Commonly Confused Disorders of the Hip

Next, Ashton shows you how to distinguish three commonly confused disorders of the hip from one another.

The three disorders are:

1. Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

This is caused by a temporary loss of blood to the femoral head and can lead to bone tissue death.

Symptoms include stiffness, limping, hip pain, and a reduced range of motion.

Treatment requires a referral to orthopedics, and may include rest, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery.

2. Toxic Synovitis

This often occurs following a viral illness and involves a self-limiting inflammation of the synovial membrane.

Symptoms include sudden hip pain, a limp, and sometimes a low-grade fever.

Analgesics and rest are common treatments for toxic synovitis.

3. Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH)

This is caused by abnormal hip joint development and is often detected during infancy. Risk factors for developmental dysplasia of the hip include breach presentation and family history.

Screening tests for DDH include the Barlow and Ortolani maneuvers.

Treatments for DDH depend on the age of the patient. In an infant, the treatment may involve the use of a harness or brace to stabilize the hip joint. For older children and adults, treatment can involve physical therapy, pain management, and surgery.

Ashton wraps up her video with a great practice question that’ll test your knowledge. It’s the perfect way to practice if you’re studying for your NP board exam! Be sure to check it out so you’re ready for any questions on pediatric musculoskeletal conditions that come your way.

Further Resources

So, there’s an overview on pediatric musculoskeletal conditions. But we’ve barely scratched the surface! Be sure to watch the video to get a great review of pediatric musculoskeletal conditions. And subscribe to the SMNP YouTube channel, where you’ll find lots of great tips on how to get through NP school, crush your boards, and kickstart your NP career!

And for more NP learning, check out these other posts on the blog:

• Diagnosing & Managing Anxiety as an NP in Primary Care
• NP Learning Professional Role: Levels of Evidence
• A Day in the Life of an NP: Disability Assessments