If your child has a musculoskeletal injury, an orthopedic doctor will best serve them. This type of physician knows how to get to the precise cause of the injury and how to treat it quickly and efficiently, without wasting time mulling over ancillary issues that are not applicable to your child.
A child’s bones are somewhat flexible, much more so than those of adults. Young bones are unique in that they are still growing and are not yet fully calcified until approximately the mid-20s. As such, kids may break a bone in ways their parents or grandparents will not.
Let us talk about how a broken bone is diagnosed in a child, and where you can go throughout Maryland to see an orthopedic doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating injuries in the hands, arms and shoulders.
Symptoms of a Pediatric Fracture
There are many signs and symptoms associated with a pediatric bone fracture, including the following:
- An audible cracking/snapping sound during the point of injury
- Intense pain in the area
- Swelling and other deformity
- Numbness
- Inability or limited ability to move the extremity or to put pressure on it
- Bleeding
- Bruising
These symptoms warrant a visit to an orthopedic doctor within 24 hours.
Types of Bone Fractures
Pediatric fractures can fall into one or more categories, as follows:
- Complete fracture, when a bone breaks all the way through, so the bone is broken into two or more segments
- Partial fracture, or crack, in which the bone is not fully separated
- Greenstick fracture, in which the bone appears deformed or bent (this only happens to children, whose bones are still growing and developing)
- Compound fracture, when the broken bone pierces through the skin
How an Orthopedic Doctor Can Help a Child with a Broken Bone
Your orthopedic doctor will conduct a physical assessment of your child’s injury to determine whether it is a fracture, a sprain, a strain, torn cartilage or another problem. The physician may also order X-rays to see where and if a bone was broken.
If the bone is indeed fractured, the orthopedic doctor may apply a cast or a splint to the area in order to keep the bone fragments immobilized, but together in place, for proper healing. If the bone is broken into multiple segments, surgery may be recommended to ensure that the bones heal together straight and not crooked.
With expert treatment and follow-up by your orthopedic surgeon, you and your child can expect that the broken bone will achieve proper healing. If the fracture is not complex, it may take approximately six weeks for the fracture to heal; complex fractures will likely take longer for total healing.
Hand, Arm, and Shoulder Orthopedic Doctors in Maryland
If your child sustains a bone, muscle or joint injury in the upper extremities, see an experienced orthopedic doctor at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder. We have convenient locations across Maryland and we are here to treat all things related to the musculoskeletal system, from a broken arm, pain in the fingers to a hurting shoulder.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment for you or your child to see one of our outstanding orthopedic doctors, contact our friendly staff today by calling (410) 296-6232 or by filling out our Request an Appointment form online now. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic doctors serve patients in Lutherville, Baltimore, Bel Air, Clarksville, Eldersburg, Pasadena, and Westminster. It would be a privilege to serve your family!
