Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care for a health problem.
Below is general information about caring for your child after a fracture.
What is a fracture? —
This is a broken bone. The bone might crack, break all the way through, or shatter.
There are different types of fractures, depending on which bone breaks and how. Examples include:
●"Open" fracture – This is when the bone sticks out of the skin or can be seen through a wound.
●"Closed" fracture – This is when the bone does not stick out of the skin and cannot be seen through a wound.
How are fractures treated? —
Treatment depends, in part, on the type of fracture and how serious it is. The goal of treatment is to have the ends of the broken bone line up with each other so the bone can heal.
If the ends of their broken bone are already in line with each other, their doctor might put a cast, splint, or brace on that part of the body. This keeps the bone in the correct position so it can heal.
If the ends of their broken bone are not in line with each other, their doctor will need to line them up. To do this, they might be able to move the bone to the correct position without doing surgery, and then put a cast, splint, or brace on. In other cases, they need to do surgery to line up the bones.
How do I care for my child at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your child. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also:
●Help your child wear the cast, splint, or brace as instructed. This supports and protects the bone as it heals. Some fractures are put in a cast right away. Others are not put in a cast until after the swelling goes down.
●Do not get the cast wet, unless the doctor says it is waterproof.
●Follow instructions for limiting your child's activity and movement until their bone is healed. The doctor or nurse will tell you what activities are safe for your child to do.
•If the broken bone is in their leg, ankle, or foot, help them follow instructions about "weightbearing." They might not be able to put any weight on that leg. Or they might be able to put some weight on it. They might want to use crutches or a walker to help you move around.
•If the broken bone is in their shoulder, arm, wrist, or hand, they might get a sling to support their arm.
●Help your child prop the part on pillows if possible, keeping it above the level of their heart. This might help lessen pain and swelling.
●Give your child an over-the-counter pain medicine, if the doctor recommended this. These include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) and ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin).
●Your child might get a prescription for stronger pain medicines to take for a short time. Follow the instructions for giving these to your child.
●Ice can help with pain and swelling – Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on your child's injured area every 1 to 2 hours, for 15 minutes each time. Put a thin towel between the ice (or other cold object) and the cast, splint, or brace. Ice for at least 6 hours after an injury. It might help to ice longer, even up to 2 days.
●Offer your child a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and protein (figure 1).
●Your child might need to work with a physical therapist (exercise expert) once their fracture starts to heal. They will teach you and your child exercises to make your child's muscles stronger or to help with their range of motion. This is very important to help them recover as quickly as possible and get back to their usual daily activities.
What follow-up care does my child need? —
The doctor will want to see your child again to check on their progress. Make sure you child goes to these appointments.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call the doctor or nurse for advice if:
●Your child's arm, hand, leg, or foot gets very swollen.
●Your child's fingers or toes turn cold, blue, gray, or numb.
●The cast or splint gets damaged.
●Your child still has bad pain even after taking pain medicines.
Patient education: Fractures in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Setting a broken bone in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Surgery to fix a broken bone (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your child's cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a splint (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a shoulder sling (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use crutches (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a walker (The Basics)
