Bone fractures

Children and adolescents often suffer broken bones in falls. The forearm, the upper arm near the elbow joint and the lower leg are most frequently affected.

In addition to severe pain, bone fractures can lead to deformation of the arms or legs, swelling and instability. In rare cases, blood vessels or nerves can be injured by a displaced fracture. This can result in cold, anaemic hands or feet or limited sensation or restricted mobility.

After we have examined your child, the diagnosis of a fracture is confirmed by an X-ray. If your child has severe symptoms but the X-ray does not show a clear fracture, a computerised tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan may be necessary for further diagnosis. An ultrasound scan can also be helpful.

We customise the therapy to your child. The form of therapy is influenced by the child's age and associated growth. Other factors include the shape of the fracture and which part of the skeleton is affected. In general, for example, fractures to the arms heal faster than those to the legs and young children can expect faster healing than adolescents.

In some cases, significant malpositions can also be left to natural correction through further growth.

We immobilise a fracture in a modern, lightweight plastic plaster cast. If the fracture is displaced, it may be necessary to straighten it. This can be carried out on the emergency ward for fractures that are only slightly displaced, after we have given your child sufficient painkillers.

If the fracture is severely displaced, an operation is necessary, which is performed in the operating theatre under anaesthetic. If necessary, we use wires, nails or screws suitable for children to stabilise the fracture.

Depending on the type of injury, a specialised paediatric traumatology follow-up check may be required. This takes place in the plaster room in the paediatric traumatology outpatient clinic. Our highly experienced team of nurses and paediatric surgeons can plan further treatment according to the child's age and respond to their needs.

If hospitalisation is necessary after an operation, you can of course stay overnight with your child. The length of stay depends largely on the type of injury. In any case, we attach great importance to child-appropriate therapy.

As a rule, children's fractures heal without long-term consequences. Only rarely is the growth plate so damaged during the fracture that growth disorders occur. However, in the case of severe injuries with extensive involvement of the soft tissues (skin, muscles, etc.), longer and more complex treatment can be expected even in childhood.