How long does it take for a toddler fracture to heal in a cast?

(March 17, 2010)

It is not surprising for your little one to have a few falls and get some bruises. Do not be surprised if you find that your toddler has got a fracture or has broken his/her bone while jumping down the staircase or while running. Fractures in toddlers happen when they lose their footing while running or jumping or twist their shin bone to fracture in a spiral way.Children have bones that are different from adult bones. Children’s bones contain growth plates which enable faster healing as compared to those of adults. Their bones are easy to bend and are more pliable.

An x-ray may not be enough to determine the presence of this kind of fracture; instead, a bone scan can probably help to diagnose the fracture. The symptoms of a toddler fracture are pain, refusal to walk, minor swelling in the affected area, and pain on touching the affected area. For fractures, a cast may be created to allow the fracture to heal quickly. In a cast, the healing happens quickly and depending on the severity of the fracture the child manages to heal quickly and much better than without.

An orthopedic cast is a surgical cast made out of plaster of Paris. The affected limb is placed in the cast so that the broken bone is held properly and gets proper support for healing. It consists of a cotton bandage that has been combined with plaster of Paris. This cotton bandage hardens after it has been wet.

The setting of this plaster takes around 10 minutes and it takes around 45 minutes to set the limb completely. The most important thing that you need to remember is to ensure that the cast stays dry. This is because wet casts tend to itch and may also emit a foul smell. Casts normally have a smell. This smell is because of the moisture that is present under the cast to hold your child’s limb in place.

Removing the Cast

The doctor may use a saw to remove the cast from your child’s limb. But do not worry as they do it very gently. However, make sure that you prepare your child for it as this may cause them unnecessary fear and anguish .After removing the cast, the doctor may suggest some exercises to make sure that there is enough flexibility and these exercises help to strengthen the limb too.

After undergoing a fracture, it is important to feed your child with enough calcium and Vitamin D laden food and supplements in order to enable your child to regain his/her strength back.

Submitted by P T on March 17, 2010 at 05:00