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Children's health

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Broken femur - what is normal practice regarding after care?

5 replies

EllisT · 10/10/2013 13:28

My 3 year old broke his thigh bone this summer and was in a spica for 7 weeks. When it was taken off we were told that because of his age he didn't need any physio and that there was no need for any follow up appointments to see how the leg had healed.

Although he is now walking (albeit with a bit of a limp and with his foot turned out), I was a bit taken aback that we were literally left to deal with this and that they would also not check on how well the leg had healed over a longer period of time. Does anyone know if this is general practice?

OP posts:
swingsofglory · 10/10/2013 17:24

My sympathies to you and your DS. My 5yo broke her femur this summer as well. She had slightly different treatment, 3+ weeks in traction followed by 3 weeks in a spica, followed by 2 more weeks of no weight on it at all. The traction was because it was a displaced fracture, so to pull it back into position.

Like your DS once she started walking, she's gradually got stronger, although she too was walking with a limp and her foot turned out.

However, unlike your DS she has been seeing a physio to help her walking the whole time. She's still going to the odd physio appointment now. The exercises have been really useful in helping her. She's older than your DS, so maybe that's why, I'm not sure, but I think it's been really useful.

I get the impression that the hospital doctors' attitude is, once the bone is fixed, children will be okay, because they'll grow out of any problems. Whether they offer physio probably depends on the child's age and the attitude of the local health trust, but if I were you, I'd go back to your GP and ask for some physio. They might say no, but it's worth asking.

The other thing we've done, independently of the physio is take her to see an osteopath. I don't know where you are located, you get osteopaths everywhere, but if you're anywhere near London, I would really recommend the British School of Osteopathy. They have a children's clinic and appointments are cheap at only £11 a session, as it's a training school and students sit in on the session. The osteopathy has really helped in terms of realigning her spine, her muscles and everything else that has been thrown out by the limping and just the body's reaction to the fracture in general.

Hope your son is back to walking/running fluidly soon. I have banned anyone from breaking anything ever again in our house! Don't know that it will work, but fingers crossed.

EllisT · 11/10/2013 09:22

Hi Swingsofglory! Thanks for your response. I'm seeing the GP next week - I know he was rather surprised and shocked that we weren't offered physio or even a follow-up meeting to check that things have healed properly.

Thanks for the info re BSO, we are in London so depending on what the doc says may well take DS there for a check up - to make sure that he hasn't thrown anything out with his current style of walking!

OP posts:
pussinwellyboots · 13/10/2013 04:29

Hi there, my ds was also 3 when he broke his femur 2 years ago. He had a week in traction followed by 6 Weeks in spica cast. He did it at the opposite end of the country to where we live and it was really hard to get follow up and support. He took at least 6 months to be walking anywhere near normally. Having initially been told how important physio would be they then said that there would be no benefit. I did however get the health visitor to refer him about 6 months on but they had no concerns.
We did have several follow up orthopedics appointments (and he is also now under a specialist bone service for suspected osteogenesis imperfectia).
I was surprised at how little support we got ( eg ot wouldn't get involved so.I had to adapt car seat and pushchair myself).
Best wishes for it all for a speedy recovery it was a really hard time for us as a family.

holidaysarenice · 13/10/2013 05:43

As a physio I can see no reason why the gp won't refer him. Even if the physio only does a check up, exercises and some reassurance will help. If the physio is worried they'll refer to ortopaedics easily.

Please don't take ur child to an osteopath.

Viewofthehills · 13/10/2013 07:51

If you're concerned then you should be able to request a physio and/ or orthopaedic review. Children do tend to just get on with things and effectively do their own physio. I don't think you have been neglected providing your GP is willing to refer you back.

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