How to Handle a Sprained or Broken Wrist

My daughter fell from the monkey bars. I thought about taking her to the emergency room but the wait was too long and she had stopped crying. Here's what I learned about how to tell if it's a sprain or a break.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wrist Brace
• Children's Tylenol or Motrin
• Ice
• Patience

1. 
    
   www.ofm.gov.ca

   1. Don't Panic.
   
   Calm down. Now calm your child.

2. 
    
   drrobyn.blog

   2. Evaluate the situation.
   
   Ask your daughter if she can flex her wrist up and down. If she can do that. See if she can squeeze your hand. Next have her touch her nose. This is part of calming your child, distracting her attention.

3. 
    
   instructables.com

   3. Get your child home and ice it.
   
   If it still appears to hurt, and it is during office hours call your pediatrician and schedule a visit to come in that day. If it is after office hours and your child has stopped screaming and seems otherwise OK it may be alright to schedule an appointment the next day. Running to the Emergency room is for really serious emergencies. This is not one. (If your child has stopped screaming) (But I'm not a doctor this is not medical advice--use your judgement)

4. 
    
   tylenol

   4. Give your child some children's Motrin or Tylenol.
   
   (If you later find it is a break, Tylenol is better for healing than Motrin). Follow package directions.

5. 
    
   magical murals

   5. Consult your doctor.
   
   The pediatrician asked my daughter to move her wrist and arms several different ways. Then he compared the wrist side-by-side with the good wrist. He was looking for swelling. It seems the swelling is the indicator of breakage. The doctor's office wrote us an order for an x-ray. This is another reason not to go to the emergency room. It was so much faster to get the order, take it to the outpatient x-ray and be on our way. Plus our doctor now also has the records of her injury. Visit www.moxiemom.com for more tips and ideas.

6. 
    
   cvs

   6. Follow your doctors orders.
   
   The doctor told us to give two children's Motion as per the label. He also advised us to get a brace. The CVS had them in a small size which fit her wrist perfectly. He also advised us to ice it. (I forgot, but I shared it here). We would get a call if it was a break and we'd be scheduled with the orthopedist for a cast. If we didn't get a call it wasn't. Either way she should take it easy for two weeks. No break--yea! She's already back playing kick ball though she still favors it and does not use it as much. So all's well that ends well. Bad mom redeemed.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't Panic. Kids are resilient!
• Don't grab the wrist quickly or move it in any awkward way that would hurt your child. Approach the wrist with gentle movements. Ask your child what he or she can comfortably do.