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What You Should Prepare for When Your Child Breaks a Bone (Because It’s Likely to Happen)
By Jessica Thompson
May 11, 2023
My son was the first to break a bone in our family. Frankly, I wasn’t shocked—he’s always been my little thrill-seeker, and it was only a matter of time before something outlandish occurred.
He was at a trampoline park, and while we weren’t there to witness it, he later explained that he was attempting a flip and landed awkwardly, resulting in a hyperextended arm. I’m honestly relieved I wasn’t present; I might have fainted!
Just a few hours later, he found himself in a splint and sling, awaiting an appointment at our local children’s hospital.
Having never broken a bone myself as a kid, I now realize that for many children, this experience is a rite of passage—likely designed to keep us on our toes and induce mini panic attacks, which ensures we remain vigilant and protective. So, it’s reasonable to assume it might happen to your child, too, perhaps even multiple times if luck isn’t on your side.
What we weren’t prepared for was having to reevaluate everything in his life. As an independent 10-year-old, I had grown accustomed to his self-sufficiency. Thankfully, it wasn’t his dominant hand that was injured, or I would have had to assist him with even more delicate tasks.
However, his normal routine took a sudden halt, and so did mine. Activities like piano and gymnastics were off the table. Luckily, he could still manage schoolwork, but we had to rethink showering, which meant I found myself helping him bathe again—a less-than-ideal situation for both of us. Like many tweens, he has a sensitive scalp and isn’t accustomed to my vigorous hair-washing technique.
Eventually, we found out he would only need to wear the cast for three weeks. As it turns out, parenting can be quite challenging, but you really can endure almost anything for a short period—unless it’s, say, a lice outbreak or norovirus.
For us, the experience was largely a minor inconvenience, shorter than I had anticipated. However, for many families, bone fractures can be more serious or affect a dominant limb, complicating things significantly.
Kids tend to get bored and grumpy, homework still needs to be completed regardless of an injury, and life continues on. Having a child with a broken bone can feel reminiscent of those challenging toddler years, but this time, you might find yourself assisting a bigger kid with personal hygiene again. Here’s what to expect:
Boredom is inevitable.
Unfortunately for my son, we had just acquired a trampoline for Christmas, which he was unable to use. Expect your child to frequently express their boredom; let’s face it, they do that regardless of their situation. Keeping them entertained is challenging under normal circumstances, as they think it’s our job to amuse them. Don’t sweat the “Mom, I’m bored” complaints; they would say that even without an injury. Consider stocking up on movies, books, or even a new coloring book, and perhaps check out some fresh games for the tablet. A trip to the local library can provide plenty of activities to keep them occupied while resting on the couch or in bed—and it serves as a good reminder that reading is more enriching than endless hours of video games.
Caring for the cast isn’t as difficult as anticipated.
I braced myself for a nightmare scenario, but it turned out to be manageable. After years of contorting myself in the bathtub to keep casts dry, the medical world has finally made strides to accommodate parents. While you must keep the cast dry, they can now be made waterproof. Since my son showered at night, we managed to keep his cast dry—who has three hours to spare for drying?
You can buy specialized bags for wrapping the cast, but we opted for a regular grocery bag. He would take baths while resting his wrapped arm on a towel on the tub’s edge, and he eventually got quite adept at bathing himself independently with minimal contorting.
Kids might experience itching and be tempted to scratch inside the cast, so keep sharp objects out of reach. The last thing you want is for them to use something dangerous to relieve an itch. It might be a good time to explore deep breathing techniques to manage any frustration stemming from the itchiness.
Sleep might be a bit uncomfortable at first.
Another aspect to anticipate is that your child will likely struggle to get comfortable while sleeping initially, and they’ll definitely let you know about it at 2 a.m. While you might find some twisted satisfaction in realizing that karma has come back around for those sleepless nights you endured while pregnant, you may also dig out that giant pregnancy body pillow from storage to help them out. Don’t worry; they’ll find their way back to restful sleep eventually.
When the cast comes off…
When the day finally arrives for the cast to come off, temper your enthusiasm. After being immobile for weeks, your child’s limb will probably be sore and stiff, meaning immediate relief might not come as quickly as you’d like. It took my son several days to regain full mobility in his arm.
To my surprise, he nearly fainted at the sight of his cast being removed. The doctor informed us that this is quite common. Who knew? After living in a cast for three weeks, seeing it lying there next to him was likely a surreal experience. Thankfully, he managed to stay conscious, thanks in part to the nurse providing apple juice.
Overall, I’d categorize our experience as relatively minor, and wearing a cast wasn’t nearly as dreadful as I’d imagined. Yet, like all experiences, there were silver linings. He garnered quite a bit of attention from friends and family, and he happily let classmates carry things for him at school. Who could blame him for seizing that opportunity?
And I now have those three weeks of full-time caregiving to hold over his head. I anticipate this will come in handy down the road. So perhaps, it wasn’t such a terrible ordeal after all.
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Summary: Expect a variety of challenges when your child breaks a bone—boredom, caring for the cast, and the adjustment to new routines, including sleep disturbances. While it may seem daunting at first, these experiences can lead to unexpected moments of bonding and learning for both you and your child.