Bone Fracture Treatment | Specialized Care at Pediatrics On Demand
Children of all ages come across some kind of injury, big or small. Bone fractures can be quite common in young children as this is when they are most active. Our pediatric clinic is proud to provide the families of Oak Lawn with bone fracture treatment, kids’ urgent care, and primary care services they need. A fracture, in simpler terms, is a broken bone. If the bone has shattered into several pieces, this is considered a comminuted fracture. No matter how acute or severe your child’s bone fracture may be, our pediatric doctors treat each level of injury all the same.
Different Types of Bone Fractures
The severity of a fracture usually depends on the force that caused the bone to break. Common types of fractures include:
- Stable fracture
The broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place. - Greenstick fracture
This is a unique fracture in children which involves the bending of one side of the bone without any break or shatter in the bone. - Open (compound) fracture
With this fracture, the skin may be pierced by the bone or by a blow that may have ripped the skin at the time of the impact. This bone may or may not be visible within the wound. Children are more prone to infection and require immediate medical attention with an open fracture. - Transverse fracture
This type of fracture has a horizontal line that runs across the wound. - Oblique fracture
An angled pattern is seen across the wounded area with this type of fracture. - Comminuted fracture
If the bone is shattered into three or more pieces, it has been comminuted.
Any kind of fracture your child may have must be attended to by a medical professional immediately.
Signs and Symptoms of a Bone Fracture
It can be difficult to indicate whether or not your child is suffering from a bone fracture if it isn’t displaced. Your child may experience the following symptoms if their bone is broken:
- You may hear or feel a snap or a grinding noise during movement or as the injury worsens
- There may be swelling, bruising, or tenderness around or on the injured area
- Your child may feel pain when weight is placed on the injury either by touch, being pressed or, or moved
- The injured area may look deformed (if severe breaks are prevalent, the broken bone may be sticking out from the skin)
In addition, children may feel faint or dizzy as a result of the shock from breaking a bone. Even if the break is small, the bone must be attended to by a medical professional.
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How Bone Fractures are Treated with Our Pediatric Staff
Our body reacts to a bone fracture by automatically protecting the area with a blood clot, callus, and fibrous tissue. Bone cells can begin to form on either side of the fracture line. These cells grow towards each other, being able to close the fracture. Our pediatric urgent care provides extensive medical care and bone fracture treatment to control bleeding and to remove sources of infection such as dead tissues.
The first step in bone fracture treatment is to reduce the fracture and maintain it. To achieve this, we will maintain the fracture by using immobilization techniques, which can be either non-operatively or with a surgical method. Non-operative therapy consists of casting and/or traction. Splints and casts made up of fiberglass or plaster are used to immobilize the limb. Traction is used for the management of fractures and dislocations that cannot be treated. Surgical therapy consists of open reduction and internal fixation and external fixation. More often than not, we are able to treat our patients with casting for broken bones in the arms, legs, fingers, toes, and more. Over a span of weeks, patients can expect their bone fracture to heal completely.
Pediatrics On Demand | Here to Treat Bone Fractures and More!
Fractures can take up to several weeks or months to heal completely, which is why it’s important you have a pediatric staff on your side to support you. Contact Pediatrics On Demand for appointments and to learn more about how we can provide bone fracture treatment.
