Osteomyelitis in ChildrenSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Osteomyelitis in Children
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection caused by bacteria or other germs.
Bone infection - children; Infection - bone - children
A bone infection is most often caused by bacteria. It can also be caused by fungi or other germs. In children, the long bones of the arms or legs are most often involved.
When a child has osteomyelitis:
- Bacteria or other germs may spread to the bone from infected skin, muscles, or tendons next to the bone. This may occur under a skin sore.
- The infection can start in another part of the body and spread through the blood to the bone.
- The infection can be caused by an injury that breaks the skin and bone (open fracture). Bacteria can enter the skin and infect the bone.
- The infection can also start after bone surgery. This is more likely if the surgery is done after an injury, or if metal rods or plates are placed in the bone.
Other risk factors include:
- Premature birth or delivery complications in newborns
- Diabetes
- Poor blood supply
- Recent injury
- Sickle cell disease
- Infection due to a foreign body
- Pressure ulcers
- Human bites or animal bites
- Weakened immune system
Osteomyelitis symptoms include:
- Bone pain
- Excessive sweating
- Fever and chills
- General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
- Local swelling, redness, and warmth
- Pain at the infection site
- Swelling of the ankles, feet, and legs
- Refusing to walk (when leg bones are involved)
Infants with osteomyelitis may not have a fever or other signs of illness. They might avoid moving the infected limb due to pain.
The goal of treatment is to stop the infection and reduce damage to the bone and surrounding tissues.
Antibiotics are given to destroy the bacteria causing the infection:
- Your child may receive more than one antibiotic at a time.
- Antibiotics are taken for at least 4 to 6 weeks, often at home through an IV (intravenously, meaning through a vein). At some point, your child's provider may switch the medicine to antibiotic pills.
Surgery may be needed to remove dead bone tissue if the child has an infection that does not go away.
- If there are metal plates near the infection, they may need to be removed.
- The open space left by the removed bone tissue may be filled with bone graft or packing material. This promotes the growth of new bone tissue.
If your child was treated in the hospital for osteomyelitis, be sure to follow your provider's instructions on how to care for your child at home.
Texas Health Family Care
Dr. William Drake has been serving the primary care needs of North Texas families since 1995. He is focused on providing quality preventative medicine as the first line of defense for patients of all ages. Dr. Drake is dedicated to serving his patients by providing personalized health and wellness services through exemplary care, education and research. He is especially passionate about research and treatments in the areas of juvenile and adult diabetes.Dr. Drake earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan in East Lansing. He completed his family medicine residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Drake is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the American Diabetes Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Tarrant County Medical Society, Texas Academy of Family Physicians and Texas Medical Association. Dr. Drake is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteomyelitis in Children. He is also highly rated in 47 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Cirrhosis, Xanthoma, Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia, and High Cholesterol.
Suburban Geriatrics Inc
Robert Pearlstein is a primary care provider, practicing in Geriatrics and Internal Medicine in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. Dr. Pearlstein is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteomyelitis in Children. He is also highly rated in 180 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Painful Swallowing, Gastrostomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Pearlstein is board certified in .
Baylor College Of Medicine
Sheldon Kaplan is an Infectious Disease provider practicing medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Kaplan is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteomyelitis in Children. He is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Osteomyelitis in Children, Osteomyelitis, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and Infectious Arthritis.
With treatment, the outcome for acute osteomyelitis is usually good.
The outlook is worse for those with long-term (chronic) osteomyelitis. Symptoms may come and go for years, even with surgery.
Contact your child's provider if:
- Your child develops symptoms of osteomyelitis
- Your child has osteomyelitis and the symptoms continue, even with treatment
Summary: Continuous intravenous antibiotic infusion using elastomeric pumps is well established in adult care and has been shown to be effective, safe, and cost-efficient, particularly for beta-lactams and vancomycin. In pediatric outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (p-OPAT), home intravenous treatment is feasible and safe, improves quality of life, and reduces hospital stays and healthcare-associa...
Summary: This study evaluates the inter-observer reliability of a standardized WB-MRI scoring system for CRMO and its consistency with the PedCNO clinical score. It also investigates whether changes in the radiologic score mirror therapeutic response, supporting a more objective clinical-radiological disease assessment.
Published Date: August 29, 2024
Published By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Roy and Diana Vagelos Professor in Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Dabov GD. Osteomyelitis. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, Canale ST, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21.
Krogstad P. Osteomyelitis. In: Cherry JD, Harrison GJ, Kaplan SL, Steinbach WJ, Hotez PJ, eds. Feigin and Cherry's Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 55.
Robinette E, Shah SS. Osteomyelitis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 725.