ds1 is limping- what do I do?

[Jimjams2]

Started limping tonight- no idea why. When I asked him where it hurt he pointed to his knee. He has a big bruise on his chest from falling onto a bike, but did that this morning and I haven't noticed him limping until this evening. He has been jumping off his playhouse roof all day, but again I didn't notice him hurt himself at all.

Am I right in thinking that as he's bearing some weight (or is he- it's all tiptoes on that leg), and isn't howling it's OK to leave? He's practically unexaminable. I'd say is definitely un-x-rayable, and would struggle with a casualty length wait. On the other hand it can be very difficult to tell how badly he's hurt himself. It's obviously hurting him as he doesn't put things on.

[Jimjams2]

I'm stuck in until 11am but have help in then, so can pop too the pharmacist then.

Pead useless (haven't seen him since he was dxed), have very lovely school doctor (paed's registrar) but not sure about her number.

[Oati]

Fio, just saw your post - what's the treatment for a greenstick fracture?

[Jimjams2]

OK I think the plan is to get a support bandage today - and ibulieve etc- I have help in for 4 hours today - which prob isn't enough for A&E and also I'll get stuck unable to pick up ds3. ~If he's bad tomorrow then maybe mum and can have ds2 and ds3 so we can both take ds1- really it is a 2 person job....... If he starts crying or looking in agony I'll take him sooner somehow.

[Jimjams2]

My old GP was lovely - so lovely- I would have phoned him this morning. But he retired due to ill health (god I was gutted). New GP has never met ds1.

[Jimjams2]

Do you have anyone you can call on an emergency Fio?

You realise I'm shivering at the thought of ds1 in a cast don't you! (what's a back one- because if he could just pull it off he will!).

I think the childhood friend whose mum left him for a week had a greenstick fracture. She felt guilty. I can remember being in their house and she was brushing his hair saying "oh for goodness sake stand up straight" and he was saying "but mum it hurts"

[Jimjams2]

My lovely girl today only started yesterday so I'm a bit concerned about dragging her into the hospital (she's employed more to do ABA sessions, although I did say in holidays it would be part ABA and part going out....)

[Jimjams2]

Can they not cut the bloody thing off by hand? If they brought some spinny noisy thing near ds1 he's either freak or try and grab it.

[tissy]

jimjams, if he has a fracture, it won't necessarily NEED a cast- a lot of children's fractures don't. There tends to be a knee-jerk reaction in casualty; it's broke, it needs a cast, but often this is not the case.

If you do go to A+E, and if you manage to get him Xrayed, then if there is any suggestion of a cast being needed, explain about his background (they'll probably have an idea by that point!)and ask if there's any way a cast can be avoided. You will probably need to see an orthopaedic registrar before you get someone confident enough to make the decision!

A backslab is made of Plaster of Paris, and is half plaster, half bandage, it cannot be walked on (well it can, but you shouldn't), but is relatively easy to remove (nurses usually use scissors to cut the bandage).

A fibreglass cast is stronger, designed to be walked on, but usually needs a saw to remove.

A few places will have "Softcast" which can be cut with scissors, but needs to be reinforced with fibreglass (could be a good option).

Depending on the break, a tubigrip or splint may be all that's required.

My dd broke a bone in her foot last year, and although she had a cast, she would have got better without one!

[Jimjams2]

aww thanks everyone. I've decided to take him up to A&E when my help arrives in 20 minutes. It is very swollen. If you're suddenly taken ill in the next few hours I apologise in advance if a child is trying to get into your cubicle. oh gawd......... send us peace and stillness vibes

[Tamum]

Oh blimey, good luck Jimjams. I think if it's swollen it's probably worth giving A&E a shot, althoguh I realise it's not going to be the easiest of times.... It's good that he's pointing to where it hurts in response to a question, isn't it?

[Jimjams2]

yes, although he pointed to the wrong place last night - perhaps the knee did hurt as well. He first got that when he had a migraine a while ago- I was so pleased! (not about the migraine- but reponding to where does it hurt)

[Kelly1978]

oh good luck with it. I had to take dt2 to a&e last month after he jumped out of his bedroom window. one of his feet was badly swollen. He was freaked out by the xray machine and I had to pin him down, but it wasn't broken. Fingers crossed for you.

[Jimjams2]

Well we're back A 11.10 my lovely girl hadn't turned up so I checked my text messages and she'd called in sick so decided to go it alonme- never again- he was very difficult!

We were bumped to the top of the queue as ds1 was being unmanageable- the staff were very good- really helpful 40 minutes from arriving to leaving. The doctor says he thinks it's sprained. Ideally he wanted to x-ray him but said that he thought that would prove to be impossible, (he'd already had to help me restrain ds1) so because he was 95% certain its not broken was happy to let us go. They put a tubigrip on - which he has already taken off.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[Oati]

phew

get well soon ds1

[Jimjams2]

cheers- me too- they said to go back next week if he;ss still not weight bearing. If I have to go back dh is coming with me!

[Tamum]

Phew, glad you've got some reassurance. I can't help feeling a sneaking admiration for ds1 for not putting up with being messed about with, but I realise it's easy for me to say that His understanding is taking leaps forward by the sounds of it, or at least his ability to convey his understanding

[Jimjams2]

He was quite good with the doctors and nurses- just didn't want to be in the cubicle or constrained at all. New environment he wants to check out every single corner etc- trying to stop him ends up with him lying on the floor screaming and trying to run away. If he could explore the whole room/hospital and go where ever he wanted he'd be fine. But obviously he can't! He kept handig me his wait symbol which I presume meant he didn't want to!

[Tamum]

[Jimjams2]

You know how at your place he did that thing where he set up a running backwards and forwards peering in a window and running back into the garden routine. If he could be left alone to do that - find some sort of routine pattern- he would be an angel. Unfortunately the people in the other cubicles might complain

We went to McDonald's on the way back- I was going to do a drive in but he insisted on going in. Good old school- he was good as gold (never been with us and knew exactly where everything was so must have been with school). I haven't had an eat in sit down meal with him since he was out of a highchair.