Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

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

16 month old with a broken arm

4 replies

Tavers · 01/01/2010 14:01

Dear all,
Well, we have had a dramatic start to the new year. This morning my son had an accident and it turns out he's broken his arm. He is only 16 months old and is now in a cast from his shoulder to his fingers. He even has a sling! I can't imagine that will last too long. So, I'm just posting to ask if anyone has had the same experience and has any tips for taking care of such a young one with a broken arm. I imagine it won't be that easy considering he can't understand why it's there or that he needs to treat it gently. Any advice would be great, in particular I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on:

  • keeping the cast dry, particularly at bath time
  • clothes - do I just get some t-shirts a few sizes up?
  • wiggling his fingers - he's supposed to do this every half hour or so - anyone come up with some good games to encourage him to do this?
  • sleeping - any advice to keep him comfy?
  • Any other tips on distracting him from the fact he can't use one arm - he's normally a very active boy.

Thanks a lot.
S

OP posts:
BrokenArm · 02/01/2010 04:36

so sorry to hear this, I am just about to have my cast off, but I am an adult.
I saw a little boy, about same age, with 2 casts like you describe, in hospital when I was getting Xrayed. He kept saying 'Down, down!' and the dad was saying not a chance.

Opportunity to play with remote controls, mobiles and other forbidden objects would get my child wiggling fingers. Interesting textures like playdough -- or you could manually wiggle his fingers for him, playing This Little piggy games, make it fun.

Lots of pillows for sleeping? Can you sleep next to him?

To keep cast dry in bath, get a bread bag or any long small plastic bag and cut hole in bottom, slip over entire arm, use rubber bands to keep bag over cast while he has quick dip in bath. Or just sponge clean him for a while (probably what I would do). Is cast fibreglass? Mine can get wet on outside fine, it's the padding inside that would get skanky and heavy if it got wet, that is the problem about keeping it dry.

How long will he need cast on?
I'm afraid you'll find he's stuck in pushchair a lot for his own safety because he can't put both his arms out to break falls . I would use reins a lot so that I could effectively break his falls for him.

Tavers · 03/01/2010 21:06

Thank you for your reply. I like the bread-bag suggestion - sounds like more sensible shape than the ones I've been trying to use!

He's actually been pretty happy during the day - a rather snotty cold seems to be giving him more trouble. Poor little thing is not in good shape at the moment - he also has 4 teeth coming through! Anyway, despite all this he's happy most of the time - aren't children just so amazing at getting on with things and adapting. I'm sure if I was dealing with all that I'd be a total misery. Night time is another story - he calls out about every 45 mins - 1 hour. We've brought him in to bed at about 1pm both nights and he's slept a bit better there. Hopefully that will all improve once he finds a comfortable position to sleep in. Appart from the pain, the cast is so blinking heavy I think he finds it next to impossible to change position. Ah well, it's only been 2 nights - I'm sure it will get better for him. Did you find any position particularly comfortable to sleep in? I'm never quite sure how to put him down in the cot.

He had it re-cast yesterday - it's now got a fibre glass outside (over the top of the one they did in A&E) with dinosaurs on! The doctor said that it will probably come off in 3 weeks (!!!), which seems amazingly quick. It heals so quick because he's so young apparently.

Anyway, I've rambled on enough I think - I'd best get an early night as I'm sure I'll be up a lot in the night.

Thanks again, S

OP posts:
BrokenArm · 04/01/2010 14:46

Sleep was always a chore, also night was when I noticed any pain or rubbing the most. I'd probably offer pre-emptive Calpol at bedtime, in your position.

Only 3 weeks is way cool. Mine is off today and the arm looked like a withered shedding snake inside, blech.

Tavers · 07/01/2010 19:29

Oh dear - at least it's winter (well and truely) so long sleeves for a bit won't be a chore. Glad to hear the cast is off - I imagine it's been far harder being a mum with a broken arm than mum of a child with a broken arm.

All the best, S

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread