Septic arthritis in children

Septic arthritis is a bacterial infection in the joint space which can cause permanent damage if it's not treated immediately. It's most common in the hip and knees and often accompanied by pain, swelling, fever, redness and a racing pulse.

If you suspect your child has septic arthritis, you should take them to a hospital’s emergency department immediately or call 999.

What are the causes of septic arthritis in children?

It usually happens when bacteria enters a child’s bloodstream through a cut on their skin. Bacteria travel to their joints, causing an infection. Babies can sometimes contract an infection if bacteria enters around the umbilical cord. In rare cases, it can be caused by surgery near a joint.

If your child is already unwell with an infection, this new infection can quickly spread through their bloodstream to one of their joints. 

How is septic arthritis diagnosed?

It’s important to go straight to your closest emergency department or call 999 so the right emergency medical staff can quickly intervene. 

If you’d like your child to be transferred to HCA Healthcare UK once their condition has stabilised, we can organise that transfer for you. The Portland Hospital has intensive care facilities for babies and children, as well as a high dependency unit, operating theatres and the most rigorous safety processes. 

A consultant will examine your child's joints, give them a blood test and they may use a needle to draw fluid from your child’s joints for testing – a procedure called arthrocentesis.

Your child’s consultant will check their blood and fluid samples for signs of infection, which creates an increase in the level of white blood cells. They will also look for evidence of the bacteria which cause septic arthritis, usually staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteria.

Treatment for septic arthritis

Your child will be treated with antibiotics, given through a drip. They’ll also be seen by an orthopaedic consultant, who may suggest draining fluid from the joint. This is done through an arthroscopy, a type of keyhole surgery that involves inserting a narrow tube through a small incision near your child’s joint.

Your child will need to stay at the hospital for about two weeks to monitor their condition and make sure pressure is taken off their joints. To learn more about what to expect from their stay, explore our private paediatric care.

Once your child returns home, they'll be given a further course of antibiotic tablets and your consultant will continue to check on how your child’s recovery is progressing.

The signs and symptoms of septic arthritis in children

If your child shows the following symptoms, they may have septic arthritis. Please note that they may only have some, and not all, of these symptoms:

• Sharp pain and/ or swelling and heat or redness on a large joint such as their hip
• Pain and spasms when trying to move a joint
• A high fever and a rapid pulse
• Tremors
• Disrupted speech 

If your baby has septic arthritis, it might be harder to see the symptoms, but you might notice the following:

• A fever
• Irritability and a refusal to feed  
• Redness and swelling around their joints
• A racing pulse 
• An obvious infection around their belly button

If you’re worried about any of these symptoms, you should take your child to an emergency hospital department immediately.