Pregnancy And Baby Care Articles Toddler Illness
Toddler Clavicle Fracture
Submitted by Nick on January 18, 2012
Toddler clavicle fracture, though not very common, can be an extremely painful and uncomfortable condition for the child. For children, most of the fractures are caused due to falls and accidents that occur while playing or performing other physical activities. A clavicle fracture in a toddler usually occurs when the toddler falls on an object with an outstretched arm. The toddler fracture may also occur if the child falls down hurting the tip of their shoulder. Although these accidents and falls can cause a toddler fibular fracture or a toddler clavicle fracture, it is only in a rare case that the fracture is complete. There is no more than a 2 cm...
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...overlap of the broken bones. In most cases, the fracture is only hairline, and with the proper care and treatment, it heals normally. In rare cases, the clavicle may have a greenstick fracture, which is not caught by a radiograph. In such cases, the clavicle may not heal properly at all. If the clavicle heals in a crooked way, it may cause a lot of pain. Toddler clavicle pain can be very uncomfortable. If you have a very young child, the pain can be especially unmanageable.
A toddler femur fracture or clavicle fracture is presented with swelling right at the site of the fracture. The arm may dangle in case of clavicle fracture and the shoulder appears to be depressed. In case of femur fracture, the leg may not straighten in any way. Straightening the leg may cause a lot of pain. The involvement of the sternocleidomastoid can complicate the condition even further, causing additional pain to the child. The doctor would first physically examine the child when presented with symptoms of toddler tibia fracture or toddler clavicle fracture. If the presentation of the injury and the physical examination is consistent with the diagnosis of fracture, the doctor may not need to perform a radiograph at all.
A toddler clavicle surgery is rarely required. A figure eight sling, along with a bandage can usually work well to immobilize the arm. This allows the fracture to heal well. As a parent, you will need to ensure that the child does not use the arm at all and that the child remains on bed rest completely. Analgesics may be given to the child to reduce inflammation and pain. You may have to occasionally ice the area to decrease swelling. If there is surface injury on the shoulder as well, callous formation may occur and this may cause an unnoticeable lump on the shoulder.
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