Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Any ideas on getting DS walking again?

10 replies

MarionCole · 07/05/2010 22:39

DS (almost 3) fell at nursery on Tuesday, nobody really saw what happened but he was so distraught that they couldn't settle him and I went to collect him.

He hurt his leg. He points at his shin when you ask where it hurts. I took him to A&E on Tuesday afternoon, they x-rayed and no sign of a break. There is no bruising or swelling at all.

However, he still won't walk on it (which is a pain in the arse as he's big and heavy). We went swimming this morning and he was absolutely fine, kicking off from the side with no problem. As soon as we got out he was hopping again and asking to be carried.

I am absolutely split on this, either (1) he is still in some discomfort and perhaps I should take him back to A&E. They did say, if he's not walking by the weekend to take him back. Or (2) it's all in his head and he just needs to be encouraged to walk again, in which case, how, without being mean?

Whenever I try to get him to walk, he hobbles, tries desperately not to put any weight on that leg, and says it hurts. However, he was kneeling happily on the floor earlier and I'm sure you couldn't do that if your shin really hurt.

I have put a tubigrip on it to try to help him, in case he's feeling a bit insecure.

That was a bit of a rant. Any ideas what I should do? I need to get him back to nursery, I have already had to take two days holiday from work this week!

OP posts:

runnervt · 07/05/2010 22:44

Don't have any ideas to get him walking that you haven't tried but I would just take him back to A+E tomorrow as they advised. I think at that age if he is really consistent at not walking then it probably is sore. Maybe at swimming he wasn't using it enough to be sore. Hard to tell though.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyProxyVoter · 07/05/2010 22:47

A&E told you to take him back tomorrow if he's still not walking, so I would do that. There could be something wrong that means he can use the leg happily for swimming but not weight bear on it.

PixieOnaBallotBox · 07/05/2010 23:01

I'd take him back - he is being consistent in that he's not walking on it, and some injures will allow swimming/kneeling but not proper weight bearing.

If they told you to go back, I'm sure they'll be happy to check it again for you - sometimes, things like greenstick fractures don't show up on x-rays for a couple of days after the incident, so you'd probably be safer getting them to have another look.

Let us know how you go!

Original poster

MarionCole · 07/05/2010 23:22

OK, thank you for setting my mind at rest. The last thing I want to do is to waste time in A&E, but if the consensus is that I should take him back then I will.

OP posts:

lou031205 · 07/05/2010 23:30

Definitely take him back. At this age, be aware that hip pain can present as knee pain, so he could actually have hurt his hip, but his lower leg feels sore.

Original poster

MarionCole · 07/05/2010 23:40

God I hope it's not broken. How do you deal with a toddler in a cast? Especially when that toddler has to go to nursery?

OP posts:

PixieOnaBallotBox · 08/05/2010 09:47

The fracture clinic will be really good at helping you cope with him - there are ways of doing things which make them a lot easier.

Also, remember that children's bones are still growing and so heal much faster than older people's bones.

Let us know how you get on!

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 08/05/2010 15:25

How is he today?

Original poster

MarionCole · 08/05/2010 16:16

Went in first thing, they assured me I have done the right thing by taking him back. Saw a SHO this time who had good look at the x-rays and said he was pretty sure it was just a sprain rather than a break. He whacked DS up on painkillers then sent us to the playroom for half an hour. It's DS's 3rd birthday this week and he is having a party. I told him that the doctor wanted to see how well he could walk so he could decide whether he was well enough for a party (was that mean?). Anyway, it got him properly trying to walk! Doctor sent us home with paracetamol and nurofen, told me to make sure he was constantly dosed up for a week and that should help with his walking. Now that I know it isn't broken I am happier to try to push him to walk and he has been moving a lot better this afternoon than he has all week. He's very wobbly, but presumably that's because he hasn't really used his leg since Tuesday morning.

OP posts:

theagedparent · 08/05/2010 16:26

My dd (nearly 3) has her leg in a cast at the moment. When she first had her leg x rayed they couldn't see a break but put a temporary cast on anyway as she could not stand on it. We took her back after 10 days for another x ray and you could see a break this time so they put a different type of cast on. They told us this was common with toddlers that at first you don't see the break. Hope your ds is ok now x

Flip