2yr with fractured tibia - how long will it take before he walks again?

[lilylimpet]

Hi all! My first post :-)

My two year old fractured his tibia - apparently so common in toddlers that they call it the 'toddler fracture'. It was a hairline crack and was only spotted because the doctor at the walk-in centre was being super cautious and sent us for an x-ray. We knew something was wrong because he's pretty resilient but he'd turned incredibly clingy and wouldn't put his foot down. I was pretty shocked when they said he would need a plaster for 6 weeks (right at the start of summer holidays :-( ) Anyway, good news, the plaster has been taken off after only 3.5 weeks... The only thing is, it's been two days and he's still not putting any weight on it or walking. Should I be encouraging him? Was thinking of taking him swimming (which he loves) to try and get him to use it more...

Does anyone else have any experience of this and suggestions on how to encourage but not pressurise the recovery process?

Many thanks in advance!!

(Also noted that he basically stopped eating while the plaster was on, now it's off he's started again. How bizarre!)

[twlight]

dont know if this helps but not walking on my foot for 6 weeks meant the sole became really soft again and was super sensitive when i did start to walk again - is he still using crutches ? i had to gradually introduce weight again slowly and def not all at once. It did take time to be able to put all weight back on and its all worrying when you start to weightbear that it might go again ? HTH

[lilylimpet]

Thanks for the message. I've spoken to a Doctor who said it will take another 3-4 weeks before he's walking again! I've never broken anything myself so have no idea but it's good to things like you mentioned - feeling sensitive and worrying about it going again.

Will just let him take his time and see how it all goes!

[Clara35]

Hi lily my ds also had this break in march & got plaster off after 3 weeks. It was about a week before he put weight on it & 6 weeks before he was walking normal. He dragged the leg as if it was still in plaster. We had follow up at hospital 3 weeks after plaster came off & they advised it was all normal but if he wasnt walking normally by 6 weeks after plaster then we were to take him back.