When to seek medical advice
See the doctor immediately or call 911 if:
- There is any serious injury, any type of head or neck injury, or any open fracture.
- With any serious injury, if you suspect any type of head or neck injury, DO NOT move the child's position; WAIT for emergency personnel.
- Do not move the affected area if there is an open fracture.
Make an appointment with your doctor if:
- If you suspect your child may have a fracture.
Once the injury or fracture has been treated, call your physician if:
- There is increased pain at the site of the fracture.
- There is discoloration (white, purple, blue) of the fingers or toes. This is a sign that the cast is too tight and limiting the blood circulation to the affected body part.
- The skin around the edges of the cast becomes red and sore. This is often a result of moisture building up under the cast or the cast having rough edges.
Medical treatment
Medical treatment of fractures will vary depending on how serious the fracture is and its location.
For some fractures, the treatment is simply rest while others need a splint that supports the fracture on one side. The splint may be made of plaster, fiberglass or metal, and is held in place by a bandage.
Splints can often be removed for bathing, but do not do so without first consulting your doctor.
Most fractures need to be treated with a cast, which is a circular support bandage with a soft interior and a stiff, hard outer shell.
A cast may be made of plaster or fiberglass, a synthetic material. The latter comes in different colors and with different patterns to make it attractive to children so that the cast will be fun to wear.
Having a cast put on can be frightening for young children. It is important for you to help calm and reassure your child when the cast is applied.
If the ends of the fracture are out of line, it is necessary to adjust this before applying a cast.
The child will be sedated, using intravenous medicines, during this procedure. This often can be done by the doctor in the emergency department.
When a cast has been applied, the doctor will recommend keeping the affected limb or body part elevated on a pillow or stool for a few days to reduce swelling.
A sling will often be used as support if the cast or splint is on the child's arm. Crutches are often necessary if a leg is broken. The child will probably need to take medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
With more serious fractures, such as open fractures, an operation may be necessary to treat the fracture. If the bone is crushed or several sections of bone are broken, it may be necessary to put a metal pin or plate into the bone to hold it together. Once the fracture has healed, the metal piece may be removed, though sometimes it needs to be left in.
Operations such as this are always done in the operating room under general anesthesia.
