6.3 million bone breaks and fractures occur in the United States every year. The risk of falling victim to that extraordinarily high number of incidents goes up with young people.
Why?
Because while being young comes with traits like an expansive imagination and infinite optimism, it also comes with a certain defiance of danger. To that end, if you’re a parent, you may be wondering what to do if your child ever ends up with a broken arm.
The good news with this kind of accident is that it’s almost always non-serious and perfectly treatable. Still, there are some ground rules you should follow when met with this event to ensure you’re doing everything you can for your kid’s broken arm.
While a broken arm is not likely to be a high-risk situation, it certainly can be. To deduce the seriousness of your child’s break, the first thing you should look for is if the broken bone has come through their skin, the arm looks white or blue or if it’s bleeding heavily.
If you notice any of those symptoms, call 911 immediately.
If you suspect that your kid’s broken arm is standard and non-serious, the first thing you’ll want to do is try and make a splint. During this process, you’ll want to make sure you do not try and straighten the arm. The goal of a splint is simply to hold it in place.
Take some soft padding and wrap the arm with it. Then, take a firm object like a rolled newspaper or ruler and gently tape it underneath the arm to prevent it from moving.
Note that the tape should not be so tight as to cut off circulation.
Bones that are broken will need medical attention to ensure they’re set properly, cast and heal well. After you have your kid’s broken arm in a split, your next step will be driving them to their local pediatrician or emergency room.
The longer you wait to do this the higher chance you run of improper healing or deformity.
Depending on your physician it may take a little bit before they can examine your child. In the meantime, you can provide support by keeping the arm elevated and icing it to reduce any selling.
You can also reassure your child that everything will be okay and tell them how great a story this experience will make when they see their friends again.
Broken bones can be scary for both parents and children.
In the time between the break and arriving at your doctor’s office, we recommend you help heal your kid’s broken arm by exercising the tips above. Doing so will not only provide physical and emotional comfort to your child, but it will also create the best conditions for your doctor to be able to treat the break.
If you’re in the Bossier City, LA area and are looking for emergency care for your child’s broken arm or anything else, Coastal Urgent Care Bossier can help.
We offer a full range of emergency medical services and have been helping happy patients recover from health issues for years. Let us take our expertise and help you or your loved one.
Learn more about our services or simply walk in and receive treatment today. No appointment necessary!
