Broken bones or fractures are very common injuries with children and this warrants the need for specialized pediatric orthopedic surgeons as the bones of a child are very different from an adult. Dr. Shah Alam Khan with his in-depth knowledge and training specializes in pediatric orthopedics at The Dubai Bone & Joint Center at Dubai Healthcare City where he tends to issues related to children providing the best possible care. Also what needs to be taken into consideration is that their bones are still growing and hence the corrective measure undertaken shouldn’t have any long term effects.

Facts about Children’s bones:

• Children recover from fractures much faster than adults as their bones have an amazing capacity to heal faster which means that surgeons have to treat children differently. This capability also enables surgeons to treat most child fractures non-operatively
• A fracture in or around the growth plates contained in children’s bones can cause permanent growth problems and hence they should be closely monitored by the surgeon during the healing process
• Children’s bones are more pliable than adults and hence they have a tendency to bend more without breaking

Types of Children’s fractures:

• Toddler’s Fracture: It is a non-displaced fracture of the tibia (shin bone) and since there is no displacement it is often difficult to detect even an x-ray. A bone scan may be obtained to confirm the fracture which can be treated with a cast

• Elbow Fracture:
  • Supracondylar Humerus Fracture: This is the most common type of elbow fracture in children mostly occurring between the age of 5 & 7 years and generally a result of a child falling onto an outstretched arm
  • Condylar Fractures: This occurs just above the elbow joint and is characterized by one side of the elbow joint breaking off
  • Radial Neck Fractures: They often occur in children and the treatment may consist of casting, manipulation or possibly placing pins across the fracture
  • Radial Head Subluxation (Nursemaid’s fracture): This is also a common injury in a young children occurring when the elbow joint slides out of position and can be easily treated
  • Olecranon Fractures: These are injuries to the prominent bone over the back of the elbow and are often determined by comparing x-rays of both elbows

• Growth Plate Fracture (Salter-Harris fracture): This occurs through or near a child’s growth plates and can injure the growing bone cells. Hence it has to be closely monitored to ensure adequate bone growth during and after the healing of the fracture

• Greenstick Fracture: This is characterized by an incomplete break which means that one side of the bone is broken and the other side is bent. Children’s bones are more pliable than adult bones and hence the occurrence is much higher. They take a longer time to heal and require being casted for around 6 weeks.

• Torus Fracture (Buckle Fracture): This is also an incomplete fracture which is extremely common in children. Children have softer bones and hence one side of the bone may buckle upon itself without disrupting the other side commonly sustained when a child falls on an outstretched hand. It also needs casting and heals within 3 weeks

Preventing Fractures:

Parents can try and help prevent pediatric fractures by ensuring the following

• Children are properly supervised when playing
• Appropriate protective gear is used during activities like skating, cycling etc.
• Children involved in athletics or other sports receive proper training and conditioning

What should you do if your child has a fracture?

In case your child does have a fracture the following is recommended

• Stay calm and level-headed as it will reassure your child
• Place ice on the extremity and elevate it above the heart to reduce swelling
• Consult a pediatric orthopedic surgeon immediately

Shah Alam Khan
Paediatric Orthpaedic Surgeon
Dubai Bone & Joint Center LLC
Dubai Healthcare City
Tel: +971 (4) 423 1400 | Fax: +971 (4) 423 1488