Although little ones have much more flexibility than adults because their bones contain more water, fibers and collagen, fracture is always possible
Children never stand still. And they fall all the time. They seem “made of rubber” but the danger that they could
fracture a bone
it should not be underestimated. «Children’s bones are less mineralized and more elastic, because they are growing and contain a greater quantity of water and collagen fibers. This doesn’t mean that they don’t break but that they respond better to the traumas of those who have an already developed skeleton» he clarifiesand Renato Maria Toniolo, head of the UOC of Traumatology of the Bambino Gesù hospital in Rome and president of the Italian Society of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology. Precisely because of the biological and mechanical characteristics of their bones, children have different injuries from those of adults.
Typical injuries
Typical fractures can be «by compression»: «Specifics of the metaphysis, the connecting bone section between the central part and the extremity, adjacent to the growth plate area, which allows the bones to grow in length – explains Toniolo -. The solicitation undergone causes micro-injuries difficult to detect with a normal X-ray. The most frequent case is a fall on the palm of the hand, which causes trauma to the ulna and radius, the forearm bones. In this type of fracture we intervene by immobilizing the limb with a brace, a cast or a splint ». Another typical lesion is the plastic deformity. “Trauma can alter the shape of the bone. Aesthetically it is not always noticeable. But there is the risk that the deviation of the anatomical axis reduces the movement of the limb» continues Toniolo. How is it resolved? «Through a reduction maneuver, to realign the bone, and the cast. After reaching bone maturity, the same stress causes a real fracture» replies the expert, who describes the third specific fracture of the pediatric age, the one “green wood”. «It is a partial and not complete break as in adults, similar to the one that can be observed trying to break a fresh piece of wood. It is always treated with immobilization techniques and external maneuvers, without resorting to surgery.
The bones of the child have a greater capacity for repair and remodeling than that of adults and therefore may not need means of synthesis, such as nails, screws, plates, between the fractured stumps”. In the same way as adults, children can also have displaced fractures (where the parts of the bone are no longer aligned). «In this case we intervene surgically by stabilizing the fracture with minimally invasive devices, especially wires, to safeguard the growth plate and ensure correct skeletal development. Any fracture in children if it affects the growth plate can compromise the growth of the bone, which can remain shorter or have a greater elongation of the other limb. The forearm and leg are most often affected by deformities». Based on age, the sites most affected by trauma change. “Fractures of the clavicle can occur in newborns as it passes through the birth canal. Those under the age of three are common those of the femur, due to trips and torsion mechanisms of the leg or foot, those of the wrist, because the child begins to protect himself when he loses his balance, and those of the collarbone, because he can fall from the changing table, bed , tricycle. As the probability of fractures grows, it will affect all bones to a certain extent and will be linked to sporting activity, the use of bicycles, scooters, skateboards and mopeds».
April 22, 2023 (change April 22, 2023 | 1:57 pm)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
#children #break #bones #typical #injuries