How to treat a clavicle fracture in children

A clavicle fracture in children - a fairly common injury, especially in the age of from two to four years. This type of damage is one of the first places after various fractures of the arm and forearm. Usually direct trauma to the clavicle in a child may occur due to a strong blow to her, but this situation is relatively rare. You'll find most of the damage to the clavicle in children, which occurred as a result of indirect effects. This can happen when hitting the shoulder of any solid barrier, when falling with a support on elbows or in the fully outstretched arms. Such lesions of the clavicle occur frequently, while very strong squeezing of the shoulder joints.

Most often such injuries are incomplete. Such fractures doctors call damage on the model of the green line, when her bending breaks the inner core, and the elasticity of the bark of the plant does not disperse the ends. In the case of clavicle fractures, the role of the cow structure takes on the periosteum. When damaged, almost no external symptoms of strain and there is no offset. Pain in this case is minimal.

Often parents of such fractures received their child, they find out by accident, through 10-15 days. During this time, the broken bone often have time to knit, and in the region of the clavicle there is a so-called callus, which is a small thickening. In such cases, do not panic, as the worst has already happened, but it is urgent to take their child on consultation to the doctor-the traumatologist. Only a doctor can determine the correct treatment of bone and to establish the possible presence of confounding factors, such as insufficient amount of calcium in bony structures of the baby. It may be diagnosed and a relatively rare disease, osteosarcoma.

The symptoms of fracture of the clavicle in babies

With full varieties of destruction (classic type) there are gaps in the outer membrane (the periosteum). The very first sign of fractures is pain. If the injury occurred during the divergence of bone fragments (for example, the inner part is shifted up, down and outer, respectively), at the site of injury occurs the swelling, which really hurts.

As such fractures have underlying lesion on the area between the joints of the shoulder and cervical vertebrae, by visual inspection of the girdle seems shorter than it really is. The blade like droops, and her injured ends are indicated by significantly sharper thanedges that are not damaged. This phenomenon stems from the fact that the affected clavicle is no longer able to hold the shoulder blades in the correct position. The child's hand in the fracture of clavicle is pushed forward and rotated inward. Any movement bring the strong pain, which increases sharply when you try to raise the upper limb up through the side. At such movements possible crunch. We must remember that many babies are born with a damaged collarbone. This occurs during the movement of the fetus through the birth canal. Maximum strength of this part of the skeleton is achieved from person-to-19-22 years.

Diagnosis of clavicle injuries

First, a visual inspection of the affected child. The doctor gently presses on the injury and if the patient feels pain, says a fracture. To confirm the diagnosis, he may ask to raise your hand. When the injury is clearly bugged crunch. As with the defeat of the bone fragments relatively rare can break the skin, it is possible the examination will be visually visible, as the skin has stretched and took the shape of a tent.

The doctor must inspect the area of the shoulder to check the integrity of all blood vessels and nerve endings. Usually the fracture is diagnosed by external examination, but it does not give information about the exact nature of the damage. Therefore, the patient is sent for an examination with x-ray equipment. The nature of the injury determines the treatment tactics. If the damage is very severe, you may need surgery.

First aid for injuries of the clavicle in a child

It is not necessary to attempt to combine the divergent edges of the bone structures. The consequences of such actions can be very negative, as in these places are the nerve endings, a rather large artery and a lot of muscle. When you try to combine the bone pieces can accidentally damage any of the above structures, which can lead to profuse bleeding and the development of paralysis.

At first you should bend at the elbow (right angle) hand of the victim. Then on the forearm reinforce the scarf and fix a limb with it. You can bind the hand to the torso, as long as she was alone. Then the patient has to give analginum or paracetamol. It is necessary for the pain. You must then bring the victim to the nearest hospital.

Treatment of broken clavicle

There are two main methods conservative method and the surgical intervention. The first one is immobilization. In this procedure, the arm should be firmly fixed in such a position that it is notmove. Depending on the age of the patient and severity of the resulting fracture of the upper limb should be from 20 to 50 days.

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By eliminating the displacement of bone fragments restores the normal length of the clavicle, and the hand is immobilized for a period which is necessary for normal splicing bones. This process is almost always successful, but sometimes it is impossible to completely eliminate the displacement of fragments due to their deformation and shortening.If the fracture forms a thickening (callus), then began the process of repairing a bone. In the end, there is a seal.

If, after conservative therapy failed to completely eliminate displacement and deformation, the doctors can send the patient for surgery - osteosynthesis.

It should only be performed by qualified surgeons.

For fixing the patient's arm most often, doctors use bandage Dezo: the arm of the patient privinchivayut to its trunk, shoulder should be laid back and on the forearm and armpit impose pads small size. The normal term of wearing of such armbands is 7-10 days.

For fracture with signs of complete displacement requires more drastic remedies. In such cases it is necessary to raise the outer fragment of the clavicle of the patient at the shoulder blades and pull his shoulder back. This applies to a cotton-gauze sling, which passes under the arms and in the form of a figure eight criss-cross. It is fixed by using plaster bandages.

Other methods overlay the doctors wrapped the chest of the patient obliquely, through a healthy humerus, with a damaged shoulder fixed special crutch. This design should wear 20-22 days to fused complex lesions on the clavicle. After such therapy the patient may do active movement.

To fix the arm and shoulder in the desired position, a commonly used technology that allows to immobilize in position of the upper limb.

After conservative or surgically restored the integrity of the clavicle, toning weakened muscles doctors recommend the use of special exercise therapy. The kids usually takes it without much enthusiasm, but parents must convince their child to start such classes since the injury. Exercises allow the bone structures to rapidly coalesce. Doctors can prescribe a special diet, which will consist of foods containing a lot of calcium and vitamins.

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Inall cases when a young person gets a fracture in the collarbone area, parents are not encouraged to try themselves to cope with the illness. This can lead to serious consequences and complications that would be detrimental to the health of the child. It is best to provide him with first aid where possible and transport to the nearest clinic.