With summer in full swing, we have the opportunity to spend more time outdoors. Particularly with the kids out of school, they’re likely spending their free time playing sports, catching up with friends, and engaging in summertime activities. With this uptick in activity comes the possibility of injury, particularly bone fractures, in children. Most broken bones in kids are a result of falling, whether that’s falling off a bike, a horse, or even slipping while running or moving around the pool. If it’s your child’s first broken bone, they may not know how to react, leading to a delay in treatment. To ensure you’re getting your child the medical attention they need and promoting healthy bone repair and growth, we’re breaking down what to do if your child breaks a bone.

Signs the Bone Might be Broken

In our past blogs, we have discussed how tricky it can be to self-diagnose your own broken bone, but it can be even more challenging to diagnose a broken bone in your child. Some indications of a broken bone include hearing a cracking sound or a snap, but if you weren’t around your child at the time of the fracture, there’s no way of knowing how the fracture happened or how it sounded. Fortunately, there are other signs to look for that would indicate a broken bone. Some of these signs include:

• Bruising, discoloration, or swelling
• Crookedness or deformation
• The inability or unwillingness to move or put weight on the injured area

If you can identify any of these signs in your child, seek medical attention immediately. Leaving a broken bone untreated can lead to the bone healing incorrectly, which can leave your child with mobility problems down the line. Keep in mind that an injury that doesn’t immediately look like a fracture may end up being a broken bone. In some cases, your child may still be able to use the injured area immediately after the break, or the swelling may not take place until a couple of hours after the initial injury. If your child is still reporting pain after several hours, it’s a good idea to get the injury checked out just in case.

What to Do If Your Child Breaks a Bone

After you’ve suspected your child has broken a bone, head straight to the emergency room. You can make the trip more comfortable by propping up the injured area with a towel or pillow and using an ice pack to reduce swelling. If the fracture is more severe, resulting in your child being in too much pain to move, or if the broken bone protrudes from the skin, it’s better to call an ambulance rather than drive your child to the hospital yourself. Moving your child in the event of a severe fracture may make the injury worse.

Follow-Up Care

In addition to the cast, splint, or other treatment ordered by a doctor, there are additional steps you can take to promote recovery. Ensuring that your child receives a nutritious diet with calcium and vitamin D can help support healthy bone development. It’s also essential that you go to all necessary follow-up appointments to avoid growth-plate fracture, a condition more common in children that occurs when the layer of growing soft tissue is damaged. For any complications with fractures or any questions about bone care, call Paris Orthopedics. Fracture care is one of our specialties, and one of our expert providers will be sure to give you and your child the highest quality of care.

Consult an Orthopedic Specialist

The team at Paris Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is dedicated to helping our patients recover from a wide range of orthopedic conditions. Our services include general orthopedic medicine, joint replacement, sports injury treatment, and osteoporosis treatments at our bone health clinic. If you have questions about the broken bones or bone health, call (903) 737-0000 to make an appointment.

As parents, it is natural to do everything possible to protect one’s child from injury. However, the nature of youth implies that it will be nearly impossible to do all the time. Even if they are not involved in sports, children by nature are constantly exploring the world around them which inevitably leads to bumps, bruises and scrapes. In some cases, it may even lead to a broken bone. Did you know that a broken bone, or fracture, is the fourth most common injury among children under the age of six?

Because it’s not a matter of if, but when your child gets injured, it’s important that you’re able to assess their injury and respond appropriately. Since fractures are so common, let’s discuss what to do when your child breaks a bone. 

1. Know the Symptoms

Being able to tell when a bone is broken is not always as easy as one might think, especially if your child is too young to communicate how he or she is feeling. The most common signs that your child may have broken a bone include: 

• Hearing an audible “snap” or a grinding noise at the time of injury
• Swelling, bruising or tenderness
• The injured part is difficult to move or hurts when moving, being touched, or bearing weight

Keep in mind that just because your child can move the bone doesn’t mean that it is not broken. If you suspect a fracture, notify your pediatrician immediately.

2. What to Do

Until your child can be seen by a medical professional such as your pediatrician, urgent care center or emergency room, it’s very important that you know how to respond appropriately. First of all, try your best to stay calm. Your child is likely both scared and in pain and losing your cool can worsen their fear and worry. 

First and foremost, keep the injured bone in the position that you find it. To stabilize the injury and hold the bones still, you can carefully place a simple splint using a small board, piece of cardboard or rolled-up newspapers secured with an elastic bandage or tape.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also advises: 

• Not to give the child anything by mouth to drink or to relieve pain without first consulting the doctor. If your child is older, you can use a cold pack or a cold towel, placed on the injury site, to decrease pain. Extreme cold can cause injury to the delicate skin of babies and toddlers, so do not use ice with children this young.
• Call 911 if your child has broken his or her leg. Don’t try to move them yourself. Instead, let the paramedics supervise his transportation and make the child as comfortable as possible.
• If part of the injury is open and bleeding, or if bone is protruding through the skin, place firm pressure on the wound; then cover it with clean (preferably sterile) gauze. Do not try to put the bone back underneath the skin. After this injury has been treated, be alert to any fever, which may indicate that the wound has become infected.

3. Follow Treatment Protocol

The good news is that children’s bones are more flexible compared to adults, making them better able to absorb shock. They are also less likely to require surgical repair. 

In most cases, when a child breaks a bone it can be treated with the use of a molded cast. If the fracture is minor, they may only need an immobilizing splint.

For a displaced fracture, an orthopedic surgeon may have to realign the bones. This is done using one of two methods: 

• Closed Reduction, in which the surgeon manipulates the bones until they are straight before applying a cast. Local or general anesthesia is used. 

• Open Reduction is a surgical procedure that takes place in an operating room. Fortunately, open reductions are rarely necessary for children.

Regardless of the treatment plan, it’s important to follow all instructions from your provider. This includes keeping the cast dry and making sure your child uses any necessary equipment such as crutches to avoid bearing weight. This also means following recommendations regarding participation in any extracurricular activities.

Call your doctor if: 

• Your child has an increase in pain, numbness, or pale or blue fingers or toes. These are signs that the extremity has swollen and requires more room within the cast. If the cast is not adjusted, it can result in permanent damage.
• The cast breaks, becomes very loose or if the plaster gets wet and soggy. A proper, secure fit is essential to hold the broken bone in position in order for it to heal correctly.

4. Focus on Prevention

As we mentioned, not all injuries can be prevented. Accidents happen. But, there are things that you can do to reduce the risk of your child breaking a bone. Some tips include: 

• Choose playgrounds with cedar chips or a rubber floor surface instead of unforgiving concrete.
• If your child plays sports or participates in any organized physical activity, get a preseason checkup even if it is not required. Your child’s pediatrician will make sure they don’t have any injuries or health issues that might be risky.
• Make sure your child knows that safety equipment isn’t optional. Follow helmet and safety gear recommendations for young athletes and any child riding a bicycle, tricycle, skateboard, scooter, or any type of skates and rollerblades.
• Eat well and stay active. Proper nutrition and regular physical activity help build sturdy bones and strong muscles to support them. 

About Paris Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Paris Orthopedic and Sports Medicine provides comprehensive orthopedic and musculoskeletal services for patients of all ages throughout Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma. We offer surgical and non-surgical treatments for sports injuries and a broad range of bone, muscle, and joint problems, including broken bones. Contact our office today at 903-737-0000 for more information or to schedule an appointment with a physician.