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Children's health

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Original poster

DD Hurt her foot yesterday, not sure if we need a trip to A&E opinions please.

21 replies

3cutedarlings · 26/05/2012 16:07

Yesterday as school while playing on a ladder, which was laid on quite a steep grass verge!! Hmm DD's description of what exactly happened isnt very clear and neither was her teachers when she brought her out to me in the yard!! they had strapped it up with a pressure bandage and she was obviously in some pain, but she is 7 she can of course be a bit of a drama queen. We have made a big fuss of her and expected her foot to feel alot better today.

Its the joint at the base of her big toe thats quite painful, she isnt putting weight on it, she is hobbling round putting her weight on the side of her foot, which is going end up with her straining her ankle. It's a little bruised and swollen, she can bend it, but it's painful to do so.

Not sure if we should pop her to A&E? im sure its just badly bruised and will heal with rest, but the last thing i want to do is leave her if its possibly broken.

OP posts:
hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 26/05/2012 16:11

We're always told 'just cos you can bend it/weight-bear on it don't mean it ain't broken'.

Have you tried using ice packs on it to reduce the swelling? (no more than 20 minutes at a time though)

Are you giving regular pain killers?

Original poster
3cutedarlings · 26/05/2012 16:15

Yes we've done ice packs a few times, not given her any pain killers Blush but i will do now!.

Its not actually that swollen just a little puffy.

OP posts:
turnigitonitshead · 26/05/2012 16:18

I would take her as it may be broken and in children toe and finger breaks are not so straitforward as adults and need to be kept an eye on due to growth plates. also uncleaer if its the toe or foot that would be injured, So I would take her to A&E or minor injuries.

Original poster
3cutedarlings · 26/05/2012 16:29

Just given her some Nurofen and popping another bag of peas ice pack on it, we only have childrens A&E here, no minors for children.

OP posts:
3duracellbunnies · 26/05/2012 16:45

Worth going just to be sure, go somewhere with x-ray machine, else they will have to refer you, go now, not later on, as it just gets busier and busier on a Saturday night IME. Don't leave it more than 48hrs as otherwise a+e won't touch it, they will ask for referral via gp. Be glad it happened on school's watch as then you don't have to justify the story. We've been there a few times, only with dd2 though, bless her little accident prone cotton socks! Hope it's nothing serious.

turnigitonitshead · 26/05/2012 16:49

justity your story really? that is absurd. many people have taken dcs to A&E without needing to justify their story.

Aboutlastnight · 26/05/2012 16:52

It's an accident. Take her to A&E FGS. They can x ray it and put your mind at rest.

Pedigree · 27/05/2012 07:53

Another vote for A&E, and quick, if there is a fracture it will be healing by now, but you don't want it "healing" in the wrong position.

Don't take offence at the 'justify" comment, there is an alarm mechanism that if you take your child to AE 3 times in x lenght of time, they flag it as a possible case of abuse and start asking all sorts of questions, but I guess that is a justified price to pay to protect children at risk.

wishiwasonholiday · 27/05/2012 07:56

We must have visited a & e about 6 times last summer as ds kept bumping the same side of his face and we (hopefully) didn't get reported, I would never not take in case they inform ss.

I would take her to get checked op.

Pedigree · 27/05/2012 08:09

You don't get reported, you do NOT, but they kindly kindly double check on your story to make sure there are no other issues, and then let you go. as simple as that.

Pedigree · 27/05/2012 08:10

You don't get reported, you do NOT, but they kindly kindly double check on your story to make sure there are no other issues, and then let you go. as simple as that.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 27/05/2012 08:12

How is her foot today?

mummyinspain · 27/05/2012 08:15

A and E is you didn´t do it early go NOW. other wise it may not be possible to correct any damage done.

Go to A and E

Pedigree · 27/05/2012 09:10

To expand on the post above, I have a friend who broke her nose and was asked to have an operation to fix the problem on following day. She asked for the operation to take place a week later, the respose of the doctor? Ok but that would mean i will need to take a hammer to break yor nose again to fix the initial fracture and get your nose to look as it did this morning.

Children bones heal faster than adults', take her to AE just in case there's a fracture

AdventuresWithVoles · 27/05/2012 09:22

OP has probably been & is too busy being nursemaid to update.
In spite of being very laid back about most energies, I would have taken her to A+E.
Puffy & hard to bend is what makes me think it should be checked out.
I've broken my arm & not realised, but it was puffy & hard to bend.

AdventuresWithVoles · 27/05/2012 09:25

ps: don't scare monger, a few days delay in attention isn't going to make that much difference to treatment success. Took a week for DH to even get his badly broken leg operated on. My arm was set & they said "come back next week to Xray & see if we need to operate after all", etc.

I don't think I even had any painkillers when I broke my arm as a child, either.

They can always much later correct damage done, but it may be much harder, to do!

purplewithred · 27/05/2012 09:34

A physio I know who specialises in sports injuries advises in those kinds of cases to RICE for two days and if it's clearly not better then X-ray. If it's a fracture then two days is Ok (as per Adventures above and many other cases) if it's not a fracture then you've saved yourself a trip. (this is ANECDOTAL, not advice)

Every X-ray has to be justified nowadays because of the radiation risks.

On the other hand, if the joint hurts to touch and she can't walk on it I'd pop off to a&e anyway

mama2005 · 27/05/2012 09:36

I would go to A & E - rather different, but I slipped down some stairs, hurt my big toe pretty badly, but could walk on it. Left it for 2 days, and only went to A & E as I had cut it and the wound wasn't closing. Found that I had broken my big toe at the joint and had a clog shaped plaster cast that I could walk on for 2 weeks (luckily, with school run and baby...) Point is, I didn't realise it was broken, and it was set 3 or 4 days after accident and was fine. Also, I think they don't always set toes, but big toe is more of a concern.

Original poster
3cutedarlings · 27/05/2012 14:26

We went to A&E this morning, as DD was still hobbling around and yes you were all right she has indeed fractured it Sad however it is only a tiny fracture at the top of her bog toe, thankfully does not need a cast and it will heal of its own accord.

We have been told to expect it to swell and bruise more over the next few days, then it will slowly improve over the next few weeks.

Poor DD Sad im still trying to figure our why on earth they had a ladder laid on what is quite a steep grass incline to play on?? Hmm??!!

OP posts:
AdventuresWithVoles · 28/05/2012 12:00

I had a feeling it was the sort of fracture they wouldn't do anything for, anyway! That's usually the case with feet.

Must be piece of mind to know what you're dealing with.

Hope it gets better soon.

AdventuresWithVoles · 28/05/2012 12:00

*peace! I am literate, honest Wink

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