Would I be unreasonable to leave my daughter sleeping even though I think her arm is broken?

[user1475350703]

Hi my daughter fell off a swing at the park this evening and it hurt she cried for a bit but was then fine. It has swollen a bit and she can't move it properly but she has fallen asleep. Would you wait until tomorrow or wake her up now?

I think it's called a buckle fracture?

Thanks everyone! I was so unsure about what to do, I couldn't believe the mixed replies!!

GoofyTheHero You didn't delay seeking treatment though did you as you talked to your GP about it!

Not quite actually, my mum works there and asked the GP what they though. I couldn't get an appt.

*thought

The replies are mixed because we have mixed experiences. All equally valid.

Glad she is ok.

Oh, no SS btw

That's great, and I'm glad she wasn't kept waiting too long at A&E

My Dad broke his ankle babysitting (I know, seriously), but it was like you describe - swollen and sore but not obviously broken, so he went to bed as it was a Saturday night, and well, yes. Next morning we went in at 9am, he was seen, x-rayed and put in a cast and in a taxi home in 45 minutes FLAT. His first encounter with the NHS too, so I was quite smug about the whole thing. Definitely wouldn't have had that experience on a Saturday night.

Fracture is different to a break. A break is kind of, whole bone snaps, fracture is a crack in it.

No it's not. Members of the public tend to think this, but it's a myth. In medicine a fracture means a break in the bone, whether it's part way through or complete.

We waited 7 hours to take DS in with broken wrist as there was no swelling, dh thought he was fine, but I decided it wasn't quite right as he was still in pain. Sometimes it's hard to judge. There can be no bruising and a break, or bruising and swelling and only soft-tissue injury.

Well, that's what the doc told us when we took Dd in. Glad you got sorted OP, that's what ours had too.

Gald she's OK.

Fracture is different to a break. A break is kind of, whole bone snaps, fracture is a crack in it.

This is why you shouldn't rely on the internet for medical advice....

I just googled open fracture. Will now be adding it to the MN never Google..... list.

Pleased your dd is ok.

You don't want to wait and then be classed as a delayed presentation!

Not quite actually, my mum works there and asked the GP what they though. I couldn't get an appt.

It doesn't matter who asked the GP. The fact is you received medical advice.

Glad she's ok OP

TBF my mother was told that a fracture was different to a break by the hospital staff the first time I broke my arm. She still doesn't believe now that a fracture refers to any type of breakage in the bone.

You did the right thing OP, the night's sleep was probably good for her. I broke my arm late at night while holidaying when I was in my 20s, I went back to the hotel, put ice on it to bring the swelling down, took painkillers and went to sleep. When it still hurt in the morning I went to A&E. I was no worse off for waiting and in retrospect the night of sleep was better for me than spending half the night in a busy A&E.

And last year DS slipped one evening when we were on holidays. We saw a first aider and my friend who we were holidaying with is a nurse. Both said they thought he was fine so we took him back to the house, gave him painkillers and let him sleep on it. When he still wouldn't put weight on it the next day we took him to A&E where they said he had a spiral fracture. He was no worse off for waiting and I believe getting to go to sleep at close to normal time and not spending a Friday night in a strange hospital was better for him.

I work in a&e on triage and wouldn't bat an eyelid if a parent thought their child was ok and left them comfortable and sleeping and then brought them the next day when it was clear there was still a problem. Social services would not be called unless the delayed presentation was part of a bigger, more worrying picture