Nonaccidental Traumatic Dislocation of the Hip in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Report of a Rare Pediatric Injury

Traumatic hip dislocations are rare in children, and reports of these injuries focus primarily on the risk of osteonecrosis of the femoral head as well as the long-term efficacy of treatment. Anatomical characteristics of the hip in young children, such as ligamentous laxity and a pliable acetabulum, can allow hip dislocation with low-energy trauma, but these injuries occur primarily in school-aged children during play activities.

We report a hip dislocation in a 3-year-old child with no clear explanation of the mechanism of injury and with multiple unexplained bruises at different stages of healing that led to the diagnosis of nonaccidental trauma (NAT). This case highlights the need to consider NAT in young patients with a traumatic hip dislocation.