Cooperative Living September 2021 - 23

HealthyTake | Story and photo courtesy of Brandpoint Content
A child's
Is It Broken?
What to do when a kid's injury is more than just a bump
K
ids break bones in many ways. Whether from a fall, a sports-related
injury, roughhousing or just an accident, a broken bone isn't something
to take lightly. But, how do you know if it's broken and what should
you do next?
Know the signs
Broken bones are most common
in the upper and lower extremities
(limbs). The upper extremities include
the arms, elbows, wrists and fingers,
and the lower extremities include the
legs, knees, ankles and feet. Tendon
and ligament injuries (sprains and
strains) can happen in these areas
as well, but don't occur as frequently
in children.
If your child has an extremity
injury, there are a few ways to
determine if they need to be seen
immediately or if it can wait until later.
Some symptoms may seem obvious;
others may not. The general signs of a
fracture are pain, bruising and swelling,
with tenderness over the area involved.
If the child or adult heard a snap
or grinding sound when the injury
occurred, it's more likely to be a
fracture.
What should you do
if you think it's broken?
The severity of your child's injury
will determine the level of care he or
sshhe needs. If the area isn't deformed,
eexxtremely swollen or bruised, immediate
medical attention may not be necessary.
YYoou'll still want to make an outpatient
aapppointment, so a doctor can conduct
aann exam and X-rays if needed.
Your child will need immediate
medical attention if:
* There is a break in the skin and bone
is showing;
* They can't bear weight on or use
the extremity 15 minutes after the
injury occurred;
* The pain is uncontrollable with rest,
elevation, ice and over-the-counter
pain medicine or;
* There is a suspected neck or spine
injury.
broken bone can
take six weeks
or more to heal
properly.
to begin helping right away:
Cut or remove clothes
Some things you can do at home
ng right away:
If the arm or leg appears misshapen
or swollen, carefully remove or cut
clothing surrounding the affected area.
or leg appears misshapen
efully emove or cut
ounding the affected area.
Try to reduce swelling
Apply a cold cloth or ice-wrapped
towel to the swollen area. Avoid putting
ice directly on the skin (without a cloth
or towel), as it could result in frostbite.
ld cloth or ice-wrapped
wollen area. Avoid putting
the skin (without
Make a temporary splint
A makeshift splint can be used
you can see
ft splint can be used
movement and prevent
ssional. You can create
plint with soft padding
newspapers,
bandage.
firm, like cardboar
wrapped
nes can heal with the
ent. The doctor will
to help limit movement and prevent
further injury untiuntill you can see a
medical professional. You can create
a makeshift splint with soft padding
and something firm, like cardboard
or folded-up newspapers, wrapped
with an elastic bandage.
Broken bones can heal with the
proper treatment. The doctor will
Broken bones can heal with the
provide specific direction, but kids
usually
fic direction, but kids
usually need to wait at least three to
usually need to wait at least three to
need to wait at least three to
six weeks before resuming normal
activities so their broken bones can
fully heal. The bigger the bone, the
longer healing usually takes.
Some bone injuries are more
concerning. Fractures through the
growth plate, fractures into the joint,
and fractures that injured the nervous
or vascular bundles can have longterm
consequences. While breaking
a bone can seem scary, with the proper
medical attention and treatment,
your child's injury will heal, and
they can go back to doing the things
they love.
You know your child best. If you
have concerns or are uncertain about
the severity of the injury, it's always
best to seek treatment right away. 
Learn more about bumps, bruises and broken
bones from Children's Hospital of Richmond
at VCU at chrichmond.org/brokenbone.
co-opliving.com
September 2021 | Cooperative Living | 21
cloth
could esult in frostbite.
http://www.chrichmond.org/brokenbone http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living September 2021

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