Varun Dhawan on Daughter’s Developmental Dysplasia of Hip Diagnosis
4 min readNew DelhiMar 28, 2026 03:57 PM IST
Varun Dhawan has opened up about a challenging chapter for his family, sharing that his daughter Lara got diagnosed with a mobility condition, Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), that impacts the hip joint and ability to walk. On a recent episode of the Be A Man, Yaar! podcast by Nikhil Taneja, the Bhediya actor revealed that it has been an emotionally tough time, but early diagnosis and timely treatment have been extremely crucial in supporting Lara’s recovery.
“When she was 1.5 years old, she was diagnosed with DHH, which is basically the hip slipping out of the socket. One leg becomes longer than the other, which makes walking very difficult. You can’t run properly, you can’t walk. You’ll get arthritis or slip disc early. There are lots of problems. There’s good diagnosis for this in the Western world at birth, but that’s not the case in India. But there are many excellent doctors here who take care of it,” ,” Dhawan recalled.
“She didn’t need to do a surgery. With one procedure they could put the hip back. But she had to be in a spica cast. That means the child has to be in a cast for 2.5 months, which is extremely difficult. Just putting the child in anaesthesia and then she wakes up in a cast. But children adapt. Now the cast is out, and she’s in a brace, recovering,” he added.
Encouraging parents to watch out for such conditions, Dhawan reiterated the importance of early medical intervention to ensure kids receive the care they deserve at the right time.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Dhawan with his daughter Lara. (Source: Instagram/@varundvn)
What is DDH?
Dr Harsha G N, Senior Consultant-Orthopedics, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, explained that DDH is a condition where the child’s hip does not develop normally. “The hip normally is a ball and socket joint, but if the socket is too shallow or the ball is not positioned properly, the hip can be unstable or even get dislocated,” she shared, adding that this condition may be present at birth or may develop gradually during infancy.
Regarding risk factors for this condition, Dr Harsha shared that a family history of hip diseases, first-born babies (especially when the uterus is very tight), breech presentation, female babies (especially due to hormonal laxity), and tight swaddling put a child at risk.
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Preventive measures to take
“Avoid tight swaddling of the baby, leave the hips free to move, use hip-free carrying positions like an M-carry or carrying on the waist, encourage early screening of the babies and regularly visit your paediatrician for checkups,” she said.
Parents must also watch out for abnormal limb length, when the limb lengths are not equal, asymmetrical thigh folds, limited hip movements or limping during walking and get medical supervision in such cases.
Treatment
Regarding treatment, Dr Abhijit Agashe, consultant orthopaedic and joint replacement surgeon at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital, Nagar Road, Pune added that many patients will benefit from the use of a Pelvic harness-type device, which is non-invasive and most effective when used during the first six months of life.
“Closed or open reduction with containment procedures may be required in some cases along with casting for older children and those who have missed being diagnosed timely,” he shared, and if left untreated, examples of long-term problems related to hip dysplasia may include motion abnormalities, chronic pain. In some cases, premature arthritis can also lead to difficulty in walking and pain which requires a hip replacement surgery at a much earlier age than usual.
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DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
