Question
My son is five years old. On the afternoon of October 22, after school, he accidentally fell and hurt his left arm while playing at a neighbor’s house. Later, I noticed that his elbow was a bit swollen, so I hurried to the Red Cross Society for an X-ray. The doctor said it was a humerus fracture with dislocation, and then I put a cast on it. The doctor said to come back to the hospital for a check-up in three days. After that, I took the X-ray again, and the doctor asked the hospital director to take a look. The director said there was no change and also mentioned that since children grow fast, we shouldn’t have too high expectations. He also said to come back for another check-up four days later.
Answer
The X-ray shows an upper humeral condyle fracture, which is quite common in children. Currently, there is displacement at the fracture site, and surgical treatment should be considered. Closed reduction and Kirschner wire internal fixation surgery is not very invasive. If conservative treatment is adopted, after reduction, the cast may dislocate again. Severe fractures in children can greatly affect their quality of life. In addition to symptomatic treatment, it is important to pay attention to daily care. It’s recommended to eat more vegetables and fruits, and consume more calcium-rich foods to reduce the chance of recurrence.