Even if they’re playing at home, kids might get injured and end up with bone fractures, whether out with their friends or participating in their favorite sports. It is still possible for a child’s bones to shatter, even if they are still developing and softer and more flexible than adult bones.
Learn more about the most frequent types of fractures in children by continuing to read.
What Are the Common Bone Fractures in Kids
Kids can get more active and adventurous as they grow older. This leads them to receive minor injuries now and then. The following are the most often occurring fractures in children:
- Ankle fractures: Ankle fractures are common in youngsters who participate in sports and are often caused by an unanticipated ankle twist.
- Forearm and elbow fractures: It’s normal for youngsters to instinctively extend their arms to catch themselves after a fall, which may lead to fractures of the forearm and elbow. Fractures occur when an impact is too significant for the bones to handle. A wrist fracture is often the result of a fall on an extended hand. An elbow fracture is more probable if they land directly on it.
It’s also possible that children’s bones are more elastic than adults, resulting in an incomplete fracture. Incomplete fractures in children are most often caused by:
- Greenstick fractures: When a bone bends to one side, it creates stress on that side, resulting in a greenstick fracture. The opposite side remains intact even if a bone breaks on one side.
- Buckle Fractures: Incomplete fractures in children are most often caused by: If the bone is compressed and crumples on one side, it results in discomfort, edema, pressure, and bruising.
How Do Toddlers Get Bone Fractures
Toddler fractures are another prevalent kind of fracture in kids. Between the ages of nine months and three years, it is common for a child to have an undisplaced fracture, in which the bone remains in its original location.
The tibia, a bone in the lower leg, is the most often fractured because of increased ambulation in the recent past. The symptoms are not fracture-specific, but you may notice that your child is more agitated than usual or unable to stand on their own two feet.
It may require a few weeks of therapy in a splint or an above-knee cast for a toddler fracture.
How Do You Treat Fractures
You should treat broken bones to restore their normal function, avoid problems, speed up healing, and alleviate discomfort. Your child’s doctor may prescribe medicine to ease their pain.
Depending on the severity of the injury, your kid may require a cast or a splint to protect it. Moreover, your kid may need surgery to put the shattered bone back together.
Children’s bodies have growth plates because they are still developing. Fractures in the growth plate, which cannot be seen on x-rays, happen occasionally.
Even if an x-ray does not reveal a fracture, a fracture of the growth plate should be considered if pain and swelling persist. There has to be a closer look.
If your kid fractures a bone, get urgent medical attention, but don’t be alarmed; with the proper care, most fractures will heal within a few weeks.
They must receive an x-ray to confirm a fracture. There is no need to go to the hospital for most fractures, especially if your local pediatric urgent care facility has x-ray imaging facilities.
Conclusion
Various types of fractures can occur in young children, and the most common ones affect the long bones in the arms and legs. Treatment for these fractures typically involves a combination of immobilization and surgery, depending on the severity of the injury.
In most cases, children will fully recover and not experience any long-term complications. However, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is essential to ensure that the fracture is adequately treated and that the child does not experience any further complications.
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