kid with a broken collar bone

[alexb]

Has anyone broken a collar bone, or had a kid who's broken one?

My little one as just broken his. A clean break at the centre apparently.
Any suggestions as to how to make his life easier?

How long is it likely to take to heal? We've been told six weeks, but they aren't suggesting anything more than a sling to support his arm.

[ChrisO]

Oh no, sorry to hear that but I'm afraid I haven't had any collarbone experience.

Just last week our daughter (5) fractured her wrist - first of our three to break a bone - so I'm feeling very sympathetic to fractured children.

[vince]

My brother broke his when he was a kid (well actually I did, but we'll say no more about it). Pretty rotten at this time of year when they want to be out and about. Plenty of supervised trips would have thought to keep boredom at bay, yet making sure they are not hanging off climbing frames etc.

[hellymedic]

How old is your little one?
Fractures tend to heal faster in younger kids.
I would only suggest a sling for a collar bone fracture.
Be generous with painkillers the first few days.

Don't be surprised if he's using the shoulder almost normally after three weeks but avoid boisterous activity for 6 weeks. (Swimming would be OK but football would not.)

The summer hols have been neatly dampened. Sorry!

Hope he's better soon!

[LEE]

Not much more they can do than stick it in a sling.

Mine is pretty messed up because hospital decided not to pin it.  I broke 2 x 2" pieces of the end which now has a zig-zag appearance and causes an ache in my shoulder if I lie on that side (6 years later).

I'd be interested to know (if I were the parent) what the fragments look like and if it was likely to heal in the traditional shape of a collar-bone without pinning.

[Regulator]

He'll probably be fine in 4-6 weeks.  Kids bounce back so quickly... the little sods.

It took 2½ years and 5 rounds of surgery for what remained of mine to heal... 

[Notsototalnewbie]

Did mine bouncing of an RLJing car when I was 16.

I couldn't use the arm on that side for weeks, it was very painful, but it was pretty much healed after 6 weeks. It has healed a little bit bent and for a long time I couldn't lean on it for prolonged periods without aching. I only had a sling too, much to my disgust at the time (I could feel the ends of the break rubbing against each other, ugh).

[Gus]

4 times   

keeping it steady  the first couple of weeks are the most essential.
Use a pillow to support  and rest the arm on when sitting in the couch or a chair
means  loosing the sling for an hour or two. 

[onb]

I broke mine last year ,due to the nature of the break I had to have it plated ,but I wouldnt recommend it unless the surgeon says so ,standard procedure is a figure of 8 dressing and a sling .I found a sling to be of great benefit especially in the early weeks if for no other reason than it sent a beacon out that made people avoid bumping into me .I think the concencus is the bone will join together naturally albeit not in guite the same alignment as before.

[hellymedic]

When kids' bones break, if they are misshapen when they heal, they usually 'remodel' into a better shape as the child grows.

[Tiger]

It sounds like a fairly standard fracture. In the old days immobilisation was the preferred course of action but there is an increased risk of weak bone knit and long term shoulder mobility dysfunction. The current preferred treatment is to gently stimulate the bone ends together to promote a stronger knit.
It is very simple to do and produces remarkable results.
Hold the patient steady and gently rotate the shoulder joint back to full extension to open and close the healing bone. Repeat a few times daily for a week. There is a little discomfort initially but that quickly passes as the patient falls into a deep sleep.

[FatBloke]

Hold the patient steady and gently rotate the shoulder joint back to full extension to open and close the healing bone. Repeat a few times daily for a week. There is a little discomfort initially but that quickly passes as the patient falls into a deep sleep.

As someone who has had a bad collar bone break may I suggest that this is not a "deep sleep", but losing consciousness due to pain!   

[Gattopardo]

Have you heard of brian simpson?  Alot of bike and motorbike racers use him as he seems to have a system of helping broken bones.  Speeds up recovery for some, but not others.

[toekneep]

Did you mention how old he is? It might be difficult to get across to a child but the more careful he is about using it/not using it the sooner it might heal. I am no doctor, I just remember a friend of mine who's child broke his collar bone when he was about nine. I was at the house one day when his dad discovered him in he cellar with his arm out of the sling and weilding a felling axe! "But I'm only chopping some kindling Dad"  His took quite a while to heal I seem to recall. He is now a very healthy strapping nineteen year old I'm pleased to say.

[hellymedic]

Most children won't do things that hurt. (Not all adults are that wise.  )

Once something is not painful, movement is unlikely to be harmful. Preventing anything which may refracture a fragile healing break is more difficult, but many kids understand and accept the won't want to go through the whole painful process again.

How's he doing now?