While a child continues to grow, while it is true that the child’s bones are more pliable and less prone to fracture, when a fracture occurs, special attention much be paid to ensure future complications do not arise. At the end of long bones are what are referred to as growth plates— which are where bones are actively growing. A fracture along a growth plate has the ability to disturb the growth along the plate and may cause disfiguration and long term growth problems. As a parent, getting grasp on the type of fracture your child has sustained in been in a bicycle accident is essential to assess the extent of damages and the cost of proper rehabilitation.
Growth Plate Fractures In Children
Growth plate fractures are more common in the forearm and fingers as well as the tibia and fibula of the legs, although there can occur elsewhere. When left untreated, growth plate fractures result in pain that affects range of motion and athletic performance. The bone may begin to grow in a crooked manner, resulting in physical differences between one limb and the other, which is growing properly. Early detection of a growth plate fracture is instrumental for treatment that reduces the impact of the fracture on your child’s development.
There are several ways in which a doctor will diagnose a growth fracture. The first is to take and compare x-rays of both the fracture and the properly growing plate in order to detect any differences that are already present. Many times, the x-ray alone will not be enough to verify the existence of a growth plate fracture and doctors will order an MRI or CT scan in order to gain information about the bone and surrounding tissue that will not only allow them to tell if an injury exists, but also the severity of said injury.
If your child is diagnosed with a growth plate fracture, the injury will fall into one of five categories of growth plate injuries. In many cases, the fracture is treated through immobilization of the joint— normally accomplished by putting it into a cast. In other cases, surgery and further therapy may be needed in order to ensure that the injury is repaired correctly and that the growth plate can grow properly without causing additional complications.
Treating Childhood Bone Fractures
Unless the prognosis and treatment is to be extremely simple, most doctors will refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon, which specializes in problems in the joints and bones. More than eight out of ten growth plate fractures will heal without any major complications. The most common concerns are stunted growth, open injuries which could cause infection to the joint and injuries occurring in an important are such as the knee not healing properly. In the case of stunted growth, one limb may grow to be shorter than the other.
Injuries to the knee have a much higher probability of complication than growth plate fractures elsewhere and have the potential to cause problems to the joint that will affect your child’s growth and range of movement for a lifetime. The successful treatment of these injuries will almost inevitably require surgery and months, if not years, of physical therapy. Over the time, the cost of treatment for more severe growth plate fractures can mount and become a financial burden. For this reason, if your child is involved in a bicycle accident, it is important to consult an attorney in order to evaluate whether you may be owed damages for immediate and recurring treatment that is expected to be required for your child’s injury.
If you are looking for a bike accident lawyer in Chicago, consider Jonathan Rosenfeld, who has many years of experience representing clients who have been involved in injuries that impose long term changes to their lives of no fault of their own. He will evaluate your case to determine whether or not you are owed damages not only for current expenses, but also for expenses that may occur over the future. You can learn more information about Jonathan’s law practice by visiting Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers or Chicago Bike Injury Lawyers.
