SymptomsComplaints

A fracture in childhood manifests itself through the same symptoms as a fracture in adults. Each fracture has a different impact on the environment or the entire organism. Depending on the location, the effects can be more or less severe.

If the fracture damages an adjacent organ (for example, a fractured rib may damage the lungs), the effects are more severe. Pain is one of the main symptoms of childhood bone fractures. In addition to treating the fracture, it is therefore also necessary to relieve the affected child of pain by means of appropriate pain therapy.

This is usually achieved by taking so-called NSAIDs. If the bone fragments are shifted against each other and conservative therapy and a plaster cast follows, the fragments must first be brought into position. Since this is a very painful procedure, an analgesic is often injected directly into the fracture gap.

The pain can thus be inhibited directly at the origin and the two fragments can be pulled into the natural position. Painkillers are also administered during surgery under general anesthesia. Depending on the fracture, it may be necessary to continue pain inhibition with NSAIDs for several days after the operation or conservative treatment.

As a rule, pain relief can be achieved by immobilization. Fever can occur, especially in children, after a fracture. While in adulthood fever is almost exclusively associated with severe infections, fever in children can also occur after a bone fracture or other illness.

This can have several causes. After a bone fracture, the body produces substances in the affected tissue that can destroy the damaged cells. This process can lead to a rise in temperature in children.

Also the bruises that are formed in the context of a bone fracture are reduced and a fever can occur as a reaction to this. Open fractures can cause fever due to infection and should be treated as soon as possible. Fever in children is in most cases caused by a virus or bacteria infection.

In contrast to adults, children are far more likely to be affected by infections. Sometimes fever remains the only symptom of the infection. The simultaneous occurrence of a bone fracture and fever is therefore often a coincidence and an expression of an accompanying infection.

The most important measure for diagnosis is an x-ray. Sometimes x-rays of small children are difficult to assess, as the bone substance has not yet consolidated. This fact can make an ultrasound of the affected region necessary.

Of course, the appearance of the little patient and the corresponding anamnesis also play an important role. If the X-ray is not absolutely necessary, it should be avoided in children if possible. As a consequence of almost every fracture, pain, swelling and “bruises”, so-called hematomas, occur. Together with the limited functional ability (e.g. resilience, mobility of adjacent joints), they are among the uncertain fracture signs. These include malalignment, abnormal mobility and so-called bone rubbing (a noise that occurs when fracture parts rub against each other).