Guillain-Barré Syndrome Presenting as Unilateral Hip Pain in a Child
<p><strong>Objective</strong>. The aim of this report is to highlight the importance of close observation and follow-up in children who present with an acutely irritable hip. This is because hip pain is a symptom of not only benign but also severe conditions. Thus, at the time of the initial presentation, hip pain can be misdiagnosed. This report serves as an example for a wide range of doctors such as orthopaedic surgeons, paediatricians, emergency room physicians or primary care physicians, because these are the first-line doctors who treat patients with a painful hip. <strong>Case report</strong>. We herein present a three-year-old child who was admitted to our hospital with pain in the right leg and initially diagnosed with<br />transient synovitis of the hip. An additional examination two days later, after severe deterioration of the clinical picture, revealed that our patient was actually suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome. Failure to diagnose Guillain-Barré syndrome and initiating prompt treatment is potentially life-threatening. <strong>Conclusion</strong>. Clinicians should be aware that hip pain could be the presenting complaint of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a syndrome that has many clinical features. Even when all the clinical and laboratory findings indicate a benign condition, Guillain-Barré syndrome should still be considered. Therefore, close observation and follow-up in children who present with an acutely irritable hip is highly recommended. In this way, the potentially catastrophic consequences of more severe conditions can be avoided.</p>