My son was the first in our family to experience a broken bone, and honestly, I wasn’t shocked at all—he’s always been a fearless little adventurer. It was only a matter of time before he got himself into a precarious situation. He was at a park, showing off on the monkey bars when he misjudged a swing and fell, landing awkwardly with his arm extended. I’m relieved I wasn’t there to witness the fall; I might have lost my composure.
Just hours later, we found ourselves at our local children’s hospital with him sporting a splint and sling. Although I personally never broke a bone as a child, it seems that for many kids, breaking bones is a rite of passage—a way to keep us parents on high alert and a little frantic. So, if you haven’t yet faced this, chances are it could happen to your little ones too, and possibly more than once if luck isn’t on your side.
What we didn’t foresee was how this would alter both his life and mine. As a fairly independent 9-year-old, he had become accustomed to doing things for himself. Thankfully, it wasn’t his dominant hand that was affected; otherwise, I might have had to help him with bathroom duties too! But his routine was definitely disrupted—piano lessons were off the table, and he had to skip soccer practice. Luckily, he could still tackle his schoolwork, but we had to adjust how he showered, which meant I was back to helping him bathe, something neither of us found particularly enjoyable. My vigorous scrubbing was a bit much for his sensitive scalp.
We learned that he would only need to wear the cast for three weeks. I’ve discovered that parenting can be trying, but three weeks is manageable—except, of course, for lice or norovirus. For us, it turned out to be a minor inconvenience since the duration was shorter than anticipated. However, for other families, fractures can be more severe, particularly if they impact the dominant limb.
Boredom is inevitable. My son was particularly frustrated because we had just bought a trampoline, and now he couldn’t use it. Kids have an innate talent for complaining about boredom, and that doesn’t change even with a broken bone. Don’t stress too much over their cries of “I’m bored!”—they’d say that regardless. It’s helpful to stock up on movies, books, and maybe some fresh coloring supplies or games for the tablet. Visiting the local library can be a great way to gather activities to keep them entertained while they’re laid up, plus it reinforces that reading is a valuable pastime compared to endless gaming.
Caring for the cast is simpler than you might think. I braced myself for a tough time, but it actually wasn’t bad at all. Today’s casts are much more user-friendly than those of the past. Most are now waterproof, which means they can handle a bit of moisture, although we opted to keep it completely dry. We used a grocery bag to protect the cast during bath time, and he learned to manage on his own with minimal fuss—thank goodness!
It’s also common for kids to feel itchy inside their cast and to be tempted to scratch it with something sharp. Make sure to hide all sharp objects around the house to avoid any mishaps! You might want to explore some relaxation techniques if your child gets particularly agitated.
Sleep can be a challenge at first. Expect some discomfort during bedtime, which your child will likely voice at 2 a.m. It might be a bit of poetic justice, considering you likely had a few sleepless nights when they were an infant. Pulling out that old body pillow may help them find some comfort as they adjust.
When the day finally arrives to remove the cast, don’t get your hopes up too high. After weeks of being immobile, the affected limb will likely feel stiff and sore. My son was surprised by how much he struggled to move his arm after the cast came off. He even felt faint when it was removed, which the doctor assured me is quite common. Apparently, having an arm wrapped up for weeks can feel strange once it’s freed. Thankfully, some apple juice from the nurse helped him bounce back quickly.
Overall, our experience was relatively minor, and having a cast wasn’t as daunting as I had initially feared. There were silver linings, too—he received extra attention from friends and even had classmates help him with his books. And I now have a little leverage for future negotiations when he tries to avoid chores: “Remember when you needed my help for everything?”
If you’re navigating a similar situation, just know that you’re not alone. For more parenting tips and insights, you might enjoy our post on home insemination kits. If you’re looking for expert advice on this topic, check out Make a Mom. Additionally, American Pregnancy is a fantastic resource for pregnancy-related queries.
In summary, while a broken bone can disrupt your child’s life and yours, it’s a manageable hurdle. With some adjustments and a little creativity, you can navigate the challenges that come with it.