Dealing with injuries in children presents its own challenges, as a child’s bones are still developing and aren’t as strong as an adult’s. If a child suffers a bone fracture and it’s not properly addressed, the child could face lifelong issues. A child’s bones also heal more quickly compared with an adult’s, so it’s crucial to provide the right type of pediatric fracture care and to treat the fracture immediately. The staff at Premier Orthopaedics includes doctors who specialize in pediatrics and who will accurately diagnose your child’s injury and determine what type of treatment they need. Then, using Premier’s advanced technology, they’ll treat your child’s fracture and help them recover as quickly as possible. If your child has experienced a fracture, learn more about pediatric fracture care and how Premier Orthopaedics can help you.

Causes

From the time they start crawling, children are always on the move. Whether they’re unstable because they’ve just started walking or they’re always running around and not watching where they’re going, it’s common for children to take some spills. Sometimes these falls are more serious than other times, depending on how they fall and what type of surface they fall on. The following incidents are common causes of pediatric fractures:

• Falling on a playground, concrete, or gravel
• Colliding with an object or another person
• Trauma of a contact sport
• Motor vehicle accident

Symptoms

Your child will experience discomfort after a fracture occurs and may have heard a popping, snapping, or breaking sound. You’ll most likely see swelling or bruising around the area, and it will be difficult for the child to move it. The area could also be noticeably deformed. If you think your child has a broken bone, take them to the emergency room or the Premier Orthopaedic Urgent Care Center for immediate attention. It’s imperative that the treatment process begins right away. Help your child stay comfortable in the meantime by applying an ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the area to reduce swelling and alleviate pain.

Diagnosis

Discuss with the physician exactly how the injury occurred and let them know of any diseases or other serious injuries. The doctor will perform a physical exam on your child and provide a pain medicine to help the child feel better. Your child will then undergo imaging testing so the physician can get a look at the fracture and determine exactly where it is and how severe it is.

Treatment

Your child’s treatment will depend on the severity of the fracture. The physician may be able to manipulate the child’s bones so they’re aligned properly then apply a cast to keep the bones stabilized as they heal. The physicians at Premier Orthopaedics understand that your child is your top priority, and they’ll treat them as such. If you believe that your child has a bone fracture, trust the specialized physicians at Premier to accurately diagnose and treat them for a speedy recovery.

For more information about fracture care, click here to download our free eBook,Understanding Fracture Care: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment.