The scary thing about an accident involving your child isn’t the actual accident itself, despite what you might think. It’s the possibility that the so-called minor injuries that your child sustained could be covering up something much more serious.
Kids are hardy people. They heal easily, bounce back from illnesses and injuries, and are quickly ready to get back out and play. However, growth plate fractures need to be recognized and addressed. Let’s look at what a growth plate is and how you can protect your child’s health.
What is a growth plate fracture?
According to the Mayo Clinic, a growth plate fracture is a bone fracture that affects the living tissue that’s at the end of bones. While any kind of trauma can cause a growth plate fracture to happen, these injuries are twice as likely to happen to boys.
In terms of symptoms, you’ll want to take your child to the doctor right away if he or she isn’t able to put weight on a limb, complains about pain in their limbs, feels warmth or swelling near a joint, or has a clearly apparent deformity in a limb.
If you don’t treat a growth plate fracture, it can lead to permanent deformity. Growth plate fractures are especially dangerous in younger children because they are still growing.
What kind of treatment options are available?
The good news is that this injury can be healed if given proper medical attention. There are a variety of treatments that are often used, such as using a cast to straighten the limb again, or even using surgery in severe cases. Either way, simple X-rays will allow your doctor to figure out what the best course of action may be.
Because injuries like this can be difficult to recognize right away, it’s important that you not accept an insurance company’s settlement offer until you’ve spoken with a competent attorney about the matter. Choose a legal professional who has the experience to help you get proper compensation for any injury that your child might have suffered.
