Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a common pediatric orthopedic disease, and health education is vital to disease management and rehabilitation. The emergence of large language models (LLMs) has provided new opportunities for health education. However, the effectiveness and applicability of LLMs in education with DDH have not been systematically evaluated. Objective: This study conducted an integrated 2-phase evaluation to assess the quality and educational effectiveness of LLM-generated educational materials. Methods: This study comprised 2 phases. Based on Bloom’s taxonomy, a 16-item DDH question bank was created through literature analysis and collaboration. Four LLMs (ChatGPT-4 [OpenAI], DeepSeek-V3, Gemini 2.0 Flash [Google], and Copilot [Microsoft Corp]) were questioned using standardized prompts. All responses were independently evaluated by 5 pediatric orthopedic experts using 5-point Likert measures of accuracy, fluency, and richness, the scales of Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials, and DISCERN. The readability was measured by a formula. The data were examined using Kruskal-Wallis tests, ANOVA, and post hoc comparisons. In phase 2, an assessor-blinded, 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 127 caregivers were randomized into an LLM-assisted education group or a web search control group. The intervention included structured LLM training, supervised practice, and 2 weeks of reinforcement training. Measured at baseline, postintervention, and 2 weeks following, the outcomes were eHealth literacy (primary), DDH knowledge, health risk perception, perceived usefulness, information self-efficacy, and health information-seeking behavior. Cohen d effect sizes and linear mixed-effects models were used in an intention-to-treat manner. Results: There were significant differences between the 4 LLMs concerning accuracy, richness, fluency, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials Understandability, and DISCERN (P<.05). ChatGPT-4 (median 63.67, IQR 63.67-64.67) and DeepSeek-V3 (median 63.67, IQR 63.33-64.67) generate more accurate text than Copilot (median 59.00, IQR 58.67-59.67). DeepSeek-V3 (median 64.00, IQR 64.00-64.00) was language richer than Copilot (median 52.33, IQR 51.33-52.67). Gemini 2.0 Flash (median 72.67, IQR 72.33-73.00) was more fluent than Copilot (median 65.67, IQR 63.33-65.67). In phase 2, the intervention group showed higher eHealth literacy at T1 (33.62, 95% CI 32.76-34.49; d=0.20, 95% CI 0.13-0.56) and T2 (33.27, 95% CI 32.38-34.17; d=0.36, 95% CI 0.01-0.80), greater DDH knowledge at T1 (7.87, 95% CI 7.48-8.25, d=0.71, 95% CI 0.33-1.11) and T2 (7.12, 95% CI 6.72-7.51; d=0.54, 95% CI 0.17-0.96), and slight improvements in health risk prediction and perceived usefulness. Conclusions: Mainstream LLMs demonstrate varying capacities in generating educational content for DDH. They generated DDH caregiver education materials that were associated with modest improvements in eHealth literacy and knowledge. Although LLMs can address general informational needs, they cannot completely substitute clinical evaluation. Future research should focus on optimizing plain language, refining dialogue design, and enhancing audience personalization to improve the quality of LLMs’ materials. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2500108410; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=271987

Background: With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the demand for health knowledge about pediatric orthopedics is also gradually growing. The traditional paper-based and multimedia health education models can no longer fully meet the needs of society. Fortunately, the emergence of social media has mitigated the problem of insufficient medical education resources. However, there is currently relatively little published evidence on the use of social media in pediatric orthopedics. Objective: This study aimed to examine the current applications of social media in pediatric orthopedics and to evaluate the quality and readability of related online health information. Its purpose is to provide relevant evidence to promote the understanding and development of the field. Methods: This review followed the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley and the Joanna Briggs Institute reviewer manual. First, a literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. The search time range was from the establishment of the databases to September 21, 2023. We endeavored to include research articles related to social media and involving pediatric orthopedics in the review. The literature was reviewed at the title, abstract, and full-text levels. Results: We included 35 of 3400 (1.03%) studies retrieved. Most of the articles used social media to help with medical staff and patient education and training (23/35, 66%) and to disseminate information (21/35, 60%), followed by helping medical staff collect data (8/35, 23%). Medical institutions and staff also used social media to increase attention (6/35, 17%), enhance social support (5/35, 14%), facilitate the recruitment of research participants (3/35, 9%), support professional development (3/35, 9%) and implement health intervention (2/35, 6%). Five general quality of information (QOI) tools, 7 specific QOI tools, and 6 readability tools were used in 12 studies analyzed for quality and readability, with overall quality being fair and readability exceeding the recommended level. According to the research data, people are increasingly interested in pediatric orthopedics on social media platforms and eager to obtain and learn relevant knowledge. Conclusions: This scoping review found that social media has a growing body of literature on pediatric orthopedic conditions and is playing an increasingly important role in knowledge dissemination and education. A variety of tools are being used for assessing the QOI, but little attention has been paid to the readability of the information. The QOI was largely fair, with readability above the recommended level. Future research should further explore the role of social media in pediatric orthopedics and continue to optimize QOI and information readability.