Your child has a broken bone (fracture) in the forearm (radius or ulna bone). It is a prevalent fracture in children. Because of a child's softer bones, one side of the bone might buckle or bend without any break on the other side. This injury is also called an incomplete fracture for this reason. It's also got a torus fracture.
These fractures heal faster than complete fractures. But your child will need to wear a splint or cast for at least three weeks. It may take 6 to 8 weeks for the fracture to heal. Let know about what is buckle fracture and its seriousness here.
Home care Follow these guidelines when caring for your child at home:
Your child will be given a splint or cast to keep the arm from moving. Keep your child's arm elevated to reduce pain and swelling. When your child is sitting or lying down, keep the arm above heart level. You can do this by placing the arm on a pillow that rests on your child's chest or a pillow at your child's side.
It is essential during the first two days (48 hours) after the injury
. Be sure that the cushions don't move near the face of the infant or toddler. Never leave your child unsupervised.
Put an ice pack on the injured area. Do this for 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day for pain relief. You can make an ice pack by wrapping a plastic bag of ice cubes in a thin towel. As the ice melts, be careful that the cast or splint doesn't get wet. You can put the ice pack inside the sling and directly over the splint or cast. Continue using the ice pack 3 to 4 times a day for the next two days. Then use the ice pack as needed to ease pain and swelling.
Keep the cast or splint completely dry at all times. Have your child bathe with the model or splint out of the water. Protect it with a large plastic bag, taped or rubber-banded at the top end. If a fibreglass cast or splint gets wet, you can dry it with a hairdryer on the relaxed setting.
You might give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen to control pain unless another pain medicine was prescribed. If your child has chronic liver or kidney disease, talk with the healthcare provider before using these medicines. Also, speak with the provider if your child has had a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding. Don't give ibuprofen to a child younger than six months of age.
Don’t put creams, lotions, or objects under the cast. If itching continues, call your provider.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your child's healthcare provider, or as advised. It is to make sure the bone is healing the way it should. If your child was given a splint, it might be changed to a cast at the follow-up visit.
When to seek medical advice
Call your child’s healthcare provider right away if any of these occur:
The cast or splint cracks
The plaster cast or splint becomes wet or soft.
The fibreglass cast or splint stays wet for more than 24 hours.
Tightness or pain under the cast or splint gets worse.
Fingers become swollen, cold, blue, numb, or tingly.
Your child can't move the fingers on the injured arm.
The skin around cast becomes red, swollen, or irritated.
Also call your child's provider right away if your child has a fever (see Fever and children, below) or chills.
Fever and children
Use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer. There are different kinds and uses of digital thermometers. They include:
Rectal. For children younger than three years, a rectal temperature is the most accurate.
Forehead (temporal). It works for children age three months and older. If a child under three months old has signs of illness, this can be used for a first pass. The provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.
Ear (tympanic). Ear temperatures are accurate after six months of age, but not before.
Armpit (axillary). It is the least reliable but may be used for a first pass to check a child of any age with signs of illness. The provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.
Mouth (oral). Please don't use a thermometer in your child's mouth until he or she is at least four years old.
Use the rectal thermometer with care. Follow the product maker's directions for correct use. Insert it gently. Label it and make sure it's not used in the mouth. It may pass on germs from the stool. If you don't feel OK using a rectal thermometer, ask the healthcare provider what type to use instead. When you talk with any healthcare provider about your child's Fever, tell him or her which style you used.
Below write for us & guidelines to know if your young child has a fever. Your child's healthcare provider may give you different numbers for your child. Follow your provider's specific instructions.