Advice- Broken leg- pleeease!!

Tiggers Bouncing

My 11 year old son has broken the top of his shine bone. (Avulsion epiphysis right tibial plateau)
After 3 days in hozzie he is home, full leg cast, thigh to ankle, crutches, with which he must weight bear by a third.
He is spending most of the time resting with leg up.
Is this the best thing or should he be making the effort to be more mobile? Currently I guess the maximum time during the day on crutches is about 20 mins.
Would be really grateful for any advice!

Thanks!

Cinders

Sorry to hear about your son Tigger, try a look at www.mybrokenleg.com. Full of advice and help. He definitely needs to keep the leg up to keep any swelling down.

Tiggers Bouncing

Thanks cinders... Off to have a look now!

Muttley

One tip - find a knitting needle for him. He'll want to scritch his itches inside the cast in the warm weather!

PS Did you see the report about Paul Winchell's death recently? He was the voice of Tigger, and of Dastardly and Muttley. Ta-ta for now indeed. I'm still in mourning :-(

[Deleted User]

He will want to scratch inside the cast but don't let him.

If he digs too hard he could scratch himself which as it can't be cleaned or seen could become infected without noticing it.

Tiggers Bouncing

Muttley.... no I didn't hear that... a voiceless Tigger Dastardley and Muttlet???? Sad times indeed....:o(

So far he hasn't been itchy.... but is early days yet!

ally30.... I wondered why the cast instructions were so explicit about pushing things inside the plaster!

Tiggers Bouncing

Muttley! Sorry about the spelling!

[Deleted User]

If he gets itchy, tell him to itch the same place on the OTHER leg. It fools the brain or something. For me, works sometimes but not others.....but worth a go!

Tiggers Bouncing

LOL
I will tell him that!!! )

[Deleted User]

didnt you get any advice from the hozzie?

orthopaedic medics or physios ?

has he got an appointment to go back for further review or treatment as an outpatient?

Tiggers Bouncing

He has to go back in within 10 days (appt in post) at this appointment he will probably have the cast changed. Although he was given crutches there was no indication on how long he should spend walking, or being upright. The physio was useless, spending just 5 mins with him on day one, and 15 on day two. (the paediatric physio was on holiday,the one we saw normally dealt with adults and had little patience)

[Deleted User]

Take some moisturiser with you when you go for the cast change.....and be prepare to be revolted as the accompanying person

What happens usually is
(1) patient has plaster removed
(2) patient sent to waiting room to wait to see doctor
(3) all patients in waiting room know that this is their opportunity to itch all those itchy bits.....and the skin is REALLY dry after being in plaster
(4) all patients itch wildly.....flaky skin everywhere.....all accompanying persons look sick
(5) patient thinks....oooh, now my arm/leg is a bit sore.....wonder if mum/dad/hubby/anyone has something to soothe it
(6) moisturiser applied
(7) see doctor
(8) new plaster applied


(ahem....broke arm 3 times as a teenager!)

[Deleted User]

you could ring the Physio department for some advice on Monday


(our orthopaedic physios staff are all very good with children but then they all and dont just have one specialist)


or ring A&E for some advice if he was admmitted through them

maybe NHS direct may be helpful over the weekend

i dont know anything about the ortho side as i work in Cardiac rehab so cant offer you any advice

Tiggers Bouncing

Thanks Buney, I will ring them first thing on Monday, in the meanwhile, keeping leg elevated as much as possible.

Heckenhocker.... yeuk! Will take the advice and go armed with moisturiser.

Muttley

I had my leg in a cast for six weeks as a teenager. When the cast came off the leg had a pelt like a gorilla's. Now back to normal, thank God.

Ally - you are mean and cruel. Let the poor kid have a scritch - you hold the knitting needle by the sharp end and scritch inside the cast with the knobbly end. I remember it was bliss :-)

Cinders

I know I shouldn't have scratched but I used a ruler, no sharp end bits and much relief at the time!

Mmm, six weeks of hair growth wasn't nice for a girly either :-)