In slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), the very top of the thighbone (called the femoral head) slips out of line with the rest of the thighbone, causing a weakened hip joint. To treat your child's SCFE, the orthopedic surgeon put one or more screws into the top of the thighbone to keep it steady. 

You can help your child recover from surgery over the next several weeks. Slowly, your child will return to most activities in a few months.

• Give your child pain medicine as instructed by the care team.
• Follow the instructions for removing the surgical dressing.
• Help your child to not put weight on the hip and to use crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair as directed by the care team. If your child had surgery on both hips, follow the care team's instructions on how to get around.
• Your child should be excused from gym and sports until the health care provider says it's OK.
• Help your child do any exercises prescribed by the health care provider or physical therapist.
• Offer your child a healthy diet. Drinking liquids and eating high-fiber foods can help reduce constipation, which is common after surgery. Foods high in protein and calcium can help with healing. 
• Maintaining a healthy weight keeps stress off the hip joint. Talk to your health care provider about an appropriate nutrition and exercise plan if your child's weight is a concern.
• Schedule regular checkups with the orthopedic surgeon until your child finishes growing.

• Your child has a fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher.
• Your child has pain that isn't helped by pain medicine.
• There is redness, swelling, or warmth at the incision site.
• Your child develops a dull, aching pain in the groin or in either hip, thigh, or knee.
• The treated hip becomes painful or stiff.

Your child:

• complains of chest pain or trouble breathing
• has numbness in the treated leg(s)
• has pain in the hip that did not have surgery

Why do kids get SCFE? Doctors aren't sure why kids get SCFE. It usually affects kids 11 to 16 years old who are going through a growth spurt. The condition is more common in boys, though girls can get it too. Kids with some underlying health problems and those with a higher weight are more likely to get SCFE. Sometimes the condition runs in families.

Do kids with SCFE need more care after surgery? Your child will have checkups with the care team while they're still growing to make sure the hip is doing OK. Usually, kids won't need more surgery on the treated hip. Many kids with SCFE in one hip will get it in the other hip too. So doctors sometimes suggest treating both hips during one surgery. If not, the care team will watch the other hip closely for signs of SCFE.