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General health

Fractured wrist abroad, what now?

15 replies

thanksamillion · 14/08/2015 17:53

Looking for some advise... 5yo DD fractured her wrist 3 days into a two week trip abroad. The country we were in has a very poor health system so we took her to a private hospital which has modern equipment but old fashioned ideas/practises. They have plastered the arm to anove the elbow and now after two weeks the plaster seems to be deteriorating quite a lot (I'm not sure how much it's actually supporting the wrist anymore). I phoned our surgery this morning and they said if I thought it needed replastering the I should take her to A&E. Does that sound right? It isn't an emergency but I'm not sure where else to go!

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PestoSwimissimos · 14/08/2015 18:05

Our local hospital has a fracture clinic linked to the A & E department, so I guess that is the right place to head to.

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YeOldeTrout · 14/08/2015 18:12

How many days ago did she fracture it?

A&E on a Friday night sounds like hell to me so I'd be thinking about these things to wait until at least tomorrow morning and maybe even Monday.

I'm not medically qualified just a veteran of many broken arms. Do you have the x-ray they took at the hospital, was it a complete break or just hairline, is she in any pain & just how badly is it deteriorating?

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TheHormonalHooker · 14/08/2015 19:35

DS2 broke his leg when we were on holiday in Cyprus when he was 5 or 6. So he could travel home, they split the cast to allow for swelling and we were told to go to A&E the next day. It was just as well we did because they re-xrayed it and completely changed the treatment plan.

I'd get up really early in the morning and go rather than go tonight.

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thanksamillion · 14/08/2015 19:59

Thanks for the replies. It's a hairline fracture and she isn't in any pain so I'm definitely not taking her to A&E tonight I think the plaster will be ok for a few more days (we aren't back in our home city until Sunday evening so ideally I'd leave it until then). It just feels wrong to go to a&e with something that isn't really an emergency but if that's the only way to access treatment then I guess that's where we'll be on Monday morning!

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Jenijena · 14/08/2015 20:02

Different, but I was with a child who fractured his arm whilst away from his local area but still in the UK. We took him to a&e, who did all the necessary, but said to turn up at his local a&e when he was home to ge put on 'their' books for the local fracture clinic. So, fine!

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thanksamillion · 14/08/2015 20:05

To answer other questions it was 10 days ago and we do have the xray.

TheHormonalHooker I suspect they may have a slightly different plan as we were told to keep the plaster on for four weeks then just take it off at home. No check ups needed

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thenightsky · 14/08/2015 20:06

Many years ago DS (aged 3) fractured his femur abroad. I couldn't fault the care he got from the paediatric doctors in that country, but when we got home I took him to the fracture clinic where the consultant called in all the trainees to see the plastering DS had... apparently it was a VERY unusual and old fashioned style and the only time the trainees would ever likely see it!

However, they did not remove the plaster and said it was fine to keep on until he healed.

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YeOldeTrout · 14/08/2015 21:16

That sounds like the right treatment for a hairline fracture on an under 14 (DD did something similar at age 11, and I did something similar at age 22). When I broke at age 22 they didn't put it in a cast at all.

You could go see your GP with the x-ray and ask them if anyone can confirm that it was right treatment for that kind of break or whether the plaster should be redone.

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thanksamillion · 14/08/2015 21:49

YeOlde I did think about doing that but when I rang the surgery the receptionist said go to a&e. I'll make a decision on Sunday evening I think depending on how the plaster is looking. It does seem a bit excessive for a wrist fracture (over the elbow) but I can see that they might not change it if they think it's ok.

Thanks for all your comments.

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YeOldeTrout · 14/08/2015 22:03

I suppose because GP is clueless about looking at x-rays.
Sheesh, though, seems like an expensive way to get it checked. Here I suppose at least we have minor injury units with people who can interpret x-rays.

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Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 14/08/2015 22:06

Is the cast split as they may not let you fly

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PoshPenny · 14/08/2015 22:20

I could be completely wrong, but... My GP has been able to order me an x Ray in the past and I was admitted to hospital as a consequence. (Not a broken limb though). So I would have thought you could access treatment via your GP. At the very least, I would phone the surgery and see what they say about getting into your local "system" which could save you hours of waiting at your local A & E

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thanksamillion · 15/08/2015 08:22

Sally the cast isn't solid all the way round so it was fine. We're already back in the UK but staying with relatives until tomorrow.

Posh I did ring the surgery as I thought they might be able to do something like that but the receptionist said a&e.

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Dancingqueen17 · 15/08/2015 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thanksamillion · 18/08/2015 13:38

Quick update! We went to A&E who said that it probably was best to go to them (waited 1.5 hours so not too bad!). We've now got an appointment at the fracture clinic tomorrow. It seems a long winded way of getting an appointment but I guess the NHS is built on the presumption that you will have been in the system from the start.