By Dr. Cara Novick, Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine

Kids love to play and be active, and with that comes the potential for injuries such as fractures. Wearing appropriate sports equipment and maintaining proper form can help prevent injuries, but no matter how much you try to protect your child, accidents can still happen.

When your child is injured at home or at a friend’s house, determining the kind of care your child needs may be initially up to you. If you think your child has a broken bone, which is the same thing as a fracture, it’s important to make sure you seek care from a pediatric orthopedic specialist. At CHKD, our pediatric orthopedic surgeons have specialized training in taking care of kids’ growing bones.

Here are six common signs your child has a fracture and needs an evaluation:

• Your child is in pain after an injury.
• Touching the injured area causes them discomfort.
• It’s difficult for your child to move the affected area: hand, arm, leg, foot, etc.
• They have swelling.
• Their skin is discolored.
• The injured area appears deformed.

If your child has uncontrollable pain, obvious deformity or the skin is broken, you should seek care in the emergency department. In other situations, you can take your child to urgent care to get an X-ray and thorough examination. Our emergency department and urgent care centers also have trained pediatric specialists to evaluate your child and can communicate with our orthopedic surgeons as needed.

If your child has a fracture, you can help them heal by making sure they wear their cast, splint, or brace to keep the bone(s) stabilized, follow the doctor’s instructions for rest and activity limitations, and eat nutritious meals.

Learn more about CHKD’s orthopedic surgery and sports medicine program. Our orthopedic surgeons have completed additional fellowship training in pediatric orthopedics and maintain all appropriate licensures and certifications.

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About CHKD Sports Medicine

CHKD's sports medicine program offers the most comprehensive care for your young athlete. From diagnosis and treatment to customized rehabilitation plans, we specialize in physical therapy and injury prevention programs for active children and teens. Our team is composed of pediatric orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine specialists, physician assistants, certified athletic trainers and pediatric sports medicine physical therapists.