Children are a lot more active and reckless than adults which can result in more fractures, and more serious fractures. Pediatric fractures can be tricky to manage because children’s bones are still growing and more pliable than adult bones. Technology has advanced leaps and bounds in the treatment of pediatric fractures. There are a lot of options for minor to serious fractures.

One type of fracture than can happen in children is a growth plate fracture. The growth plate is an area of a child’s bone made up of cartilage cells that promotes solid bone growth. These areas of bone tend to be a bit softer and weaker and can fracture easily. Sometimes, a growth plate fracture can be treated with a cast. If the plate is damaged too severely, further treatment and monitoring may be necessary.

The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body and takes a lot of force to fracture. If a child fractures their femur there are a couple different treatment options, depending on severity. Sometimes a femur fracture can be treated with a cast and the bone will reset itself. One treatment option that is gaining popularity with surgeons is flexible nailing. The nail is inserted through the end of the femur and across the fracture site. This helps to hold the femur aligned correctly during the healing process. Once the bone is healed, the nail is surgically removed.

There are many other types of fractures but all can be treated in similar ways. Be sure you trust your doctor and that you agree with whatever course of treatment they recommend for your child.