Triple prevention of congenital dislocation of the hip.

Triple prevention of congenital dislocation of the hip consists of (a) examining newborns so as to apply treatment as early as possible in symptomatic and suspected cases, (b) regular diapering in abduction of all presumably healthy hips by means of soft abduction pants so as to direct possible cases of dysplasia toward normal development, and (c) reexamination of these hips until the child can walk so as to discover missed cases. Primary treatment of diagnosed and suspected hip dislocations consists of immediate application of a Frejka splint and abduction exercises, followed by a radiograph at the age of 4 months. Persistence of any clinical symptom for 3 weeks requires intensification of treatment by use of the Pavlik harness.