DS, aged 6, broke his arm on Tuesday...

[snuffy143]

He fell on roller skates and has broken the bones in his forearm, greenstick fractures in both. He had manipulation under anaesthetic on Tuesday evening and came home from hospital yesterday lunchtime. He has a plaster of paris cast from wrist to armpit and it is his right arm (dominant one). My query is...he has had 2 doses of Calpol since coming home and seems to be coping unbelievably well. I have only given him Calpol before bedtime tonight and last night because I thought it might help to settle him. Is this apparent lack of pain normal? His arm was bent at 90 degrees in the middle of his forearm yet he hasn't even cried since about 15 minutes after it happened! I'd like to know if it is normal for kids to be this blase and how long it might be before the bones have knitted together. Is it worth giving him more milk/dairy products than normal? It all seems such a non-even to him - not to me, though! Thanks.

I broke my leg last year and it hurt but once I got a plaster cast on it didn't really hurt so much. It would throb when I got up in the morning and if I'd not rested it too much. In my experience, children are very resilient and their bones do heal very nicely.

If it would make you feel better giving him more dairy products then go for it, but I think the quality of his bones are already determined and not sure it would make too much difference, but everything helps!

ds broke his arm, both bones, last year. He fell off his bike and the bike landed on him. He didn't even cry. When a medic asked him how much pain he was in, on scale of 1 to 10, he said 3! This was when we first arrived at hospital, before any drugs or assistance. Medic rolled his eyes and looked at me as if he was lying.
ds had exactly the same procedure as your ds and was exactly the same, re: painkillers. In fact, the only reasons I kept him off school were to let the anaesthetic wear off and because he had to keep it elevated. He was back at school on day 4, complete with cushion to keep arm elevated and was the centre of attention. I was a nervous wreck - I think it hits us mums harder! btw, he's made a full recovery and is back on his bike now

Oops, I missed the last bit of your post, sorry.
He kept his large cast on for four weeks (hospital appointments every two weeks), then had it changed for a lighter one that stayed on for another two weeks. We went back for a further check two weeks later and he was discharged. We've had no problems since, other than the occasional twinge during the cold, winter months.

Thank you SO much...is good to know! School went back today but I have kept him at home and will do tomorrow. We are then away for a week (am a bad mother ) so no school til after then. I just cannot believe how cool he is being about it all...why doesn't it hurt?? He had hardly any pain relief in hospital either! I guess small people bounce back!

Aaawww poor thing.

My DS1 broke his arm last year, 3 days before I gave birth .... wow was I fed up of hospitals !

His fracture was in his elbow which meant that they couldnt plaster it for whatever reason. He had to keep it in a sling for about 3 weeks. IIRC he only had 2 or 3 doses of calpol and was not overly troubled by the pain, apart from the moment he did it... I've never heard such a blood curdling scream.

I'm sure your DS is doing just fine !

We are back on Tue for appt (DH will have to drive him back from the Lakes for it) and was hoping for fibre glass then...plaster of paris one is heavy...but maybe not that soon. Hey ho!

Oh, he had limited mobility in the broken arm in that he couldnt straighten it above his head for a while. A few months later totally back to normal

Yeah...agree with the scream...was one of those when you know it is more than the usual bump or bruise and you go running!

Is it ok for him to wear the sling at night?

My ds broke his wrist last year aged 5. He was amazing. Cried when he aw me in hospital but that was it. He never once complained of pain or discomfort the whole time he was in plaster. He didn't need his sling at bed time, don't think it would be a good idea tbh. Does he have a foam sling yet?

The removal of the pot was a different issue though - tears all round!

Fab...he's obviously not weird! Has got a foam sling which he loves (!!) and so still has it on. Not happy while he is asleep so am going to extricate him from it. He is sleeping with his arm over his head, on his front. Seems comfy.

Yes my ds's pot was finger tips to arm pits - was horrified. He did not bat an eye lid.

You are all so reassuring...thanks!

Lol at Califrau calling for get well gifts

I called grandparents and aunt and uncle from the hospital wailing 'ds has broken his arm' so they would rush to his bed side

Aww that's a shame. Hope he is ok. I would give more dairy products, can only help in the future.

You will find his bones will heal beautifully and very quickly. They do at this age.

Removal of the fibre glass pot can b quite traumatic as the saw they use is very loud.

How do they get plaster of paris off? He copes better with things when we talk him through and explain properly. Thanks for all the tips.

Lol! It doesn't hurt at all, but my ds was scared shitless by the noise. They demonstrated many times on his hand and teh docs hand that it does not hurt. Ds was not buying it though. He demanded the boss of the whole hospital came to remove it

After neraly 2 hours, and calling in the troops (3 nurses from childrens ward) with sweets, cuddly toys, stickers etc we finally held him down long enough.

The staff said he was the orst case of pot removal ever.

snuffy143, cast coming off did not hurt at all - he said it tickled! As others have said, the nurse proved it didn't hurt, by running it over her own skin and letting him feel it too. If anything, it was the noise that was the worst thing, but he thought it was funny.

When dd broke her wrist (on her bithday!) the doctor told me that green stick fractures usually knit back together much stronger and it is reasonably quick too. DD loved her plaster and dines out on the fact she is the only 9 year old that got plastered on her birthday!

Oh, forgot to mention. Top tip for keeping them occupied. Don't play snap with them. My hand was black and blue everytime she shouted snap and slammed her plastered arm on the table!