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Looking after 3 year old with fractured femur

4 replies

redskyatnight · 07/08/2009 08:23

My 3 year old DD has fractured her femur. She has spent 2 weeks in hospital in traction, came hope last night and will now be in a hip spica for the next 4 weeks.

I've found the last 2 weeks very tough both in terms of keeping her amused and positive (she has an hour or so most days where I think it all gets too much for her) plus lack of sleep. With my rose tinted spectacles on I was thinking it would be all back to normal when we get home. Of course in lots of ways it is much better - we all slept better last night without the hospital noise and DD is comforted to have her own things about her.

But ...I am still struggling with the enormity of looking after an immobile child who can't sit up. Need to wash her hair today (untouched for 2 weeks - it is a solid mass at the back) and work out how we will spend the next 4 weeks. We have a wheelchair coming but at the moment we are stuck in the house. I also have a 5 year old DS so want to try to do some things with him too!

Would welcome any words of wisdom from anyone that's looked after a child in hip spica or with broken leg etc!

OP posts:
OnlyWantsOne · 07/08/2009 08:26

no real advice but how horrid for her and you all how did it happen? She's not in any pain is she?

redskyatnight · 07/08/2009 11:33

She fell off a climbing frame (was trying to copy big brother). She didn't actually fall from very high plus she fell onto that spongy stuff they put in play areas to stop children hurting themselves, so 9 out of 10 times she would probably have been fine - unfortunately this was the 10th time!

She is not in any pain now, was in agony for the first few days though.

OP posts:
dm623 · 10/08/2009 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Milliways · 11/08/2009 16:06

Can you get a trolley thing that she can lie on & scoot around on? I had one of those when I had a spica frame on (both legs armpits to toes) at age 7. Meant I could at least get out of bed! At least when the chair arrives you can go for walks, feed the ducks etc.

Try & get a rota of friends to visit. Does she play any simple board games yet? Other people playing will give you a break.

Colouring in etc on a tray propped on bed. Just lots of new cheap things like paper dolls, beads etc??

Sorry you are going through this.

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