Nasal bone fracture in the baby
A baby or toddler may also suffer a fracture of the nasal bone due to strong forces acting on the bony nasal skeleton. The nose can be affected especially during play or when falling from a low height (for example, during the first attempts at walking). Parents of affected children usually recognize the fracture of the nasal bone in babies by the occurrence of heavy bleeding from the nasal opening (nosebleed).
If the nasal bone is broken, the nosebleed can usually hardly be stopped. In addition, the fracture of the nasal bone causes severe pain in the baby. Affected children begin to cry after the trauma and cannot be calmed for a long period of time.
Due to the impairment of the bony nasal skeleton, strong swellings occur, which make the nose look shapeless. Another typical symptom of a fractured nasal bone in babies is the development of bruises (haematomas). These appear only a few hours after the causal event, especially in the area of the bridge of the nose.
Depending on the course of the accident, both a closed and an open nasal bone fracture can be caused. The open nasal fracture is in most cases easier to diagnose than the closed fracture. In babies, the open nasal bone fracture is manifested by the piercing of the skin surface by tiny bone fragments.
A baby with indications of a nasal bone fracture must be immediately presented to a pediatrician. The actual diagnosis is made by means of a clinical examination and the preparation of an X-ray image. If a suitable treatment is initiated promptly, no consequential damage is to be expected even if the baby has a fractured nose bone.
A fracture of the nasal bone in a child is treated in the same way as in an adult. Extensive diagnostic tests must also be carried out on the child before the appropriate therapy is chosen. In addition to the anamnesis interview and the physical examination, x-rays of the bony nose are taken.Due to the high radiation exposure of a child, computer tomography (CT) is often not performed.
In accidents involving a child in general and in the case of a fractured nose bone in particular, the circulatory situation must be stabilized urgently. In addition, accidents leading to a fractured nasal bone often result in severe bleeding. To prevent severe blood loss, hemostasis must therefore be started immediately after the accident.
Cold pads placed on the neck and forehead are particularly suitable for this purpose. During hemostasis, the child should sit upright with the head slightly towards the neck. In the case of severe nosebleeds, tamponades can be inserted into the nostrils.
Especially in a child it is difficult to estimate the final result after the treatment of a fractured nasal bone. Similar to adults, swelling that persists over a long period of time can ensure that the treatment result can only be assessed after months. It should also be noted that a child’s bony nose is usually still growing and the appearance of the nose can therefore change significantly.
Along the fracture lines, deformations can occur despite surgical reduction as the nose grows. However, this risk usually only exists in the case of a complicated fracture of the nasal bone (for example, a comminuted fracture). In many cases, the development of a nasal bone fracture is associated with active disputes.
If a patient is drawn into a one-sided non-verbal dispute and is injured by the attacker in such a way that a fracture of the nasal bone occurs, the attacker can take various legal steps. It is important for the victim that in the case of a broken nose bone there is usually a claim for compensation for pain and suffering. The actual amount of compensation for broken nasal bone depends on the extent of the injury (is there soft tissue injury in addition to the fracture?
Has the eye been affected? ), the disadvantages caused by the fracture of the nasal bone (e.g. loss of earnings for self-employed persons) and the consequences of surgical or conservative therapy (scarring, etc.). In the case of a fracture of the nasal bone that heals completely without scars, the affected person can expect to receive compensation of 950 to 1000 Euros.
If conspicuous scars or other limitations remain, the claim may increase to several thousand euros. The compensation for pain and suffering after a broken nose bone does not necessarily have to be claimed in criminal proceedings. Furthermore, the existence of a criminal complaint has no influence on the amount of damages for pain and suffering. In most cases, attorneys advise the offender to request payment of an appropriate compensation for pain and suffering in advance and to point out to the offender that a payment can be taken into account as a mitigating measure in a possible criminal trial. Affected persons should make sure that the payment of damages for pain and suffering after a broken nose has a limitation period of three years from the time of the commission of the crime.
