4 year old hurt her foot - fractured new Q in OP

[AngelaVA]

Update and new Q: Her foot is fractured, she's got a big splint on it which looks like a cast but is much softer. They said they don't give crutches to young kids and had no suggestions other than I'd have to carry her. I even had to carry her out of the hospital to our car which was not easy. She weighs 42 pounds - I can lift her but I can't carry her long term I'm going to end up dropping her. Any suggestions?

Yesterday my 4 year old jumped off the coffee table and twisted her ankle. It is swollen but not horribly so and slightly bruised. She is refusing to try to walk on it at all and was crying about it off and on throughout the night. We have done Advil and ice. If she tried to walk on it and couldn't I would take her to the ER for X-rays for sure but she's ultra sensitive and makes big deal out of really small injuries so its hard for me to know how serious it is. WWYD?

[klpmommy]

is she still not walking on it after sleeping?

[AngelaVA]

is she still not walking on it after sleeping?

No she won't even try.

[klpmommy]

I think I"d bribe her to get her to try in order to see if it really still hurts and she needs the dr or if she is just scared to try.

[AngelaVA]

I think I"d bribe her to get her to try in order to see if it really still hurts and she needs the dr or if she is just scared to try.

Yeah that's what I've been trying the last two hours.

[klpmommy]

:hug

:pray4 Good luck. I hope she lets you see a clear answer soon.

[illinoismommy]

I'd call and see if you can make an appt for an X-ray. Cheaper than ER but it does sound worth checking out. Don't make her walk on it, could make things worse.

[mamacat]

Would do an epsom salt soak and see if that reduces soreness.2nd idea about calling and asking for an xray referral rather than going to ER.Esp. on weekends usually even if fracture ER would just give you an ortho consult appt which can be days later. Agree about keeping her off it.Since there was swelling know is at least a sprain which can be very painful and takes not using to heal

[J3K]

Having had my fair share of ankle/foot injuries , I'd let the child decide when to bear weight. If she's caterwauling and carrying on even when not bearing weight (can't stand the feeling of a sock , hurts to just sit and watch tv , etc...) then I'd take her in.

RICE is the preferred method for dealing with most ankle/foot injuries.

Rest
Ice
Compression (a light wrap in a figure 8 style to stabilize the area)
Elevation (get that foot up on a pillow and the vcr loaded with disney movies :) )

[AngelaVA]

I decided to take her in just because her pain level
is so high. She tried to walk and immediately fell and was screaming. I still don't think it's broken but they xrayed it so we will see.

---------- Post added at 11:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 AM ----------

Her foot is fractured :(

[mamacat]

Im sorry! So do you have a consult or what did they suggest? ere they able to fit her with a boot of some kind?

[illinoismommy]

I'm glad you took her in! I thought it might be since she carried it to the next day.

[mamacat]

Im sorry! So do you have a consult or what did they suggest? ere they able to fit her with a boot of some kind? If they referred you you could take her to a podiatrist for cast or splint and they can do xray followup right there.Actually could have gone to one with emergency hours for the xray and diagnosis

[sweetpeasmommy]

:pray4

[AngelaVA]

They are just gonna splint it and send me to ortho. Was thinking maybe Children's Hospital would have someone good? We have good insurance I'm not too worried about the cost.

[Iveyrock]

poor girlie :(

[Marsha]

Glad you took her in!

[staceylayne]

Poor baby. :( I've always been happy taking my kids to the children's hospital. They are so kind and gentle.

Hope she heals super quickly!

[mamacat]

Childrens hosp. sounds like a good idea for a little one

[staceylayne]

Oh my! So they can't /won't do a walking cast of some sort? Or is this just until you see an orthopedist during the week?

[AngelaVA]

Oh my! So they can't /won't do a walking cast of some sort? Or is this just until you see an orthopedist during the week?

I don't know. I hope just until we see the orthopedist.

[klpmommy]

I'm fairly sure the ortho will do a cast she can use as she wants/feels comfortable with.

Can you use a stroller until then? Plug her in front of the tv with some favorite movies?

:hug

[megbar548]

I'm not sure if this would help quite, BUT, what about a walker? Like, the kind grandma would use? I know those can come with legs that are easily adjustable just like crutches, and you *might* be able to find one super cheap at a thrift store. Those don't have to be independently manipulated like crutches do, so I'd think they'd be easier for a 4 yo to handle properly.

What made me think of it was a pic I saw before Halloween of dressing a newly walking toddler as an elderly person with a walker adjusted SUPER low.

[GraemesMomma]

When DD fractured her leg on a weekend, yes, we literally carried her everywhere and she watched tv and played on the iPad a lot. You really do want to keep it immobilized.

[BelovedDaughter]

Not a parent yet, but I fractured my ankle when I was 4, and yes, I remember it. It was put in a splint and for about a week, I had to sit with it elevated and my parents would either carry me a short distance (to the car) or I kind of crawled in the house. This was back in 1987, though. Prayers for your girlie.

[Quiteria]

Does she still fit in an umbrella stroller?

[illinoismommy]

Use a stroller or wagon.

[Waterlogged]

An wheely office chair could work around the house.

[LovinBeingMommy]

I didn't get crutches when I had a severe sprain at 7. My mom literally could not lift me. My dad could carry me for really short distances, but not far. They said no crutches would encourage me to use it, which is so productive when, even in a brace, I couldn't support my weight. :doh It was a couple weeks before I could stand on it at all. I crawled everywhere, until the swelling went down enough that it didn't hurt too much to hop (the jolt from hopping shot pain through it for the first while). I mostly stayed on the couch, with my brother happily bringing me things. If he wouldn't, I either waited until my mom had a free hand or crawled. It would be really difficult if you need to go places, though. We just stayed home most of the time until I could walk. :shrug3

[AngelaVA]

So the bandage holding the splint completely came off while she was sleeping last night. Then she started freaking out this evening about how much it was hurting on the back of her foot/leg and I finally had to take it off and look and the whole back of her heel and leg is rubbed raw and blistered from the splint. Frustrated...mad at myself I didn't take her to Children's Hospital in the first place instead of the place near us.

[mamamonkey]

Did they not put a under layer underneath the splint? :doh Just try to keep her off of it and keep her from walking on it while the splint is off until you see ortho.

The ortho will likely give her a walking boot, which will make it easier on you. Will depend on exactly where the fracture is though.

[jujubnme]

:hugheart Poor kiddo. I'm sorry she's hurting. Try not to kick yourself, though. You couldn't know that the place you took her to wouldn't be able to provide a more complete solution right away. And I think it's a rule of nature for kids to need the most urgent medical care right before or during the weekend. :doh

[LovinBeingMommy]

You definitely didn't have control over how the place you took her did it. I can't remember where my mom took me when I fell. It was definitely not where she normally took us. We followed up with someone else and things were better then. Putting the splint on without something underneath is definitely something *they* screwed up and you could never have predicted. No one would because you expect doctors to know what they're doing. :doh

[Quiteria]

The Urgent Care that I saw put my temporary "cast" (this pad they wetted, it hardened, then held on with an ace bandage) inside out. It had a fuzzy layer that was supposed to be against the skin. Instead it was scratchy and I had to wrap a sock and another ace bandage around the jagged edge. The orthopedic dr commented with exasperation how common that error was. Common sense...cushion against the skin. But it sounded like they saw it backwards more often than not. :-/ Wonder if that is the same error made in splinting your dd.

[AngelaVA]

The Urgent Care that I saw put my temporary "cast" (this pad they wetted, it hardened, then held on with an ace bandage) inside out. It had a fuzzy layer that was supposed to be against the skin. Instead it was scratchy and I had to wrap a sock and another ace bandage around the jagged edge. The orthopedic dr commented with exasperation how common that error was. Common sense...cushion against the skin. But it sounded like they saw it backwards more often than not. :-/ Wonder if that is the same error made in splinting your dd.

There is a little bit of a fuzzy layer against her skin but its very very flimsy - sounds like the exact same thing they used for her though.

[illinoismommy]

How did she rub it? Has she been very active?

[mamacat]

Do you still have a stroller can set up for her inside or maybe borrow a larger one.If someone goes with to appt.s you can send them in to ask for a wheelchair so dont have to park and carry her all that way.If no stroller do you have a desk chair with wheels?

---------- Post added at 02:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:12 PM ----------

None of the ERs or urgents take care of fractures other than splinging around here and it can take days for the consult appt.I kicked myself for not suggesting a podiatrist to you before you went to ER because they do the whole 9 yrds

[AngelaVA]

How did she rub it? Has she been very active?

She's been laying on the couch or bed all weekend with her foot on a pillow. This morning she decided to start crawling around on the floor playing. Her appointment is not until this afternoon they told me I'd have to go back to the hospital and try to get the x-rays from them :eyeroll

[AngelaVA]

The bad new is even after getting the x-rays from the hospital the images were so poor they had to redo them and there are actually two bones fractured in her foot but...

The good news the doctor was really nice, she has a walking cast that is way more comfy, she will probably only have it for four weeks and the doctor very kindly let my 7 year old help put the cast on. She can't walk on the cast yet because of soreness but at least it is comfortable for her and I don't have to worry about it falling off.

[staceylayne]

SO happy to hear that!!!

[AngelaVA]

She's been starting to walk on her cast but sometimes says that her foot is hurting her - especially when she's been on it for a bit. Normal?

[Weezie]

Yes. She may even remember the pain and be feeling that. Are you giving her Motrin?

[mamacat]

Yes would still try to keep elevated and off of as much as posible and only have her walk when she needs to get a short distance,especially in these early healing weeks http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cast-care/MY01974