Broken Wrist (Child)

Home care

• Give your child pain medicines as directed by the health care provider. Don't give your child aspirin unless told to by a provider.

• Follow the provider's instructions about how much your child can use the affected arm.

• Keep the child's hand and wrist raised (elevated) to reduce pain and swelling. This is most important during the first 48 hours after injury. As often as possible, have the child sit or lie down and place pillows under the wrist until it's raised above the level of the heart. For babies and toddlers, lay the child down and place pillows under the hand until the injury is raised above the level of the heart. Be sure that the pillows don't move near the face of the baby or toddler. Never leave the child unsupervised.

• Apply a cold pack to the injury to help control swelling. To make an ice pack, put ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a thin towel. As the ice melts, be careful that the cast or splint doesn’t get wet. Don't place the ice directly on the skin because this can cause damage. You can place a cold pack directly over a splint or cast.

• Ice the injured area for up to 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day. Continue this 3 to 4 times a day for the next 2 days, then as needed. It may help to make a game of using the ice. But don't force your child to use the ice. 

• Care for the splint or cast as you’ve been advised. Don’t put any powders or lotions inside the splint or cast. Keep your child from sticking objects into the splint or cast.

• Keep the splint or cast completely dry at all times. The splint or cast should be covered with a plastic bag and kept out of the water when your child bathes. Close the top end of the bag with tape or rubber bands.

• Encourage your child to wiggle or exercise the fingers of the affected hand often.

Follow-up care

Follow up with the child's provider as advised. Follow-up X-rays may be needed to see how the bone is healing. If your child was given a splint, it may be changed to a cast at the follow-up visit. If your child was referred to a specialist, make that appointment right away.

Special note to parents

Providers are trained to recognize injuries like this one in young children as a sign of possible abuse. Several providers may ask questions about how your child was injured. Providers must, by law, ask you these questions. This is done for the child's protection. Please try to be patient and not take offense.

When to contact the doctor

Contact your child's provider right away if:

• The splint or cast is wet or soft.

• The splint or cast is too tight. Loosen a splint before going for help.

• There's increasing swelling or pain after a cast or splint is put on. Babies too young to talk may show pain with crying that can't be soothed.

• The fingers on the injured hand are cold, blue, numb, burning, or tingly.

• Your child can’t move the fingers of the affected hand.

• There's redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage from the wound, or foul odor from a cast or splint.

• In babies, you see fussiness or crying that can't be soothed.

• Your child has a fever (see "Fever and children" below).

Call 911

Call 911 if:

• Your child has trouble breathing.

• Your child has confusion.

• Your child has trouble waking up or is very drowsy.

• Your child faints or loses consciousness.

• Your child's heart rate is fast.

• Your child has a seizure.

• Your child's neck is stiff.

Fever and children

Use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer. There are different kinds and uses of digital thermometers. They include:

• Rectal. For children younger than 3 months old, a rectal temperature is the most accurate.

• Forehead (temporal). This works for children age 3 months and older. If a child under 3 months old has signs of illness, this can be used for a first pass. The provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Ear (tympanic). Ear temperatures are accurate after 6 months of age, but not before.

• Armpit (axillary). This is the least reliable but may be used for a first pass to check a child of any age with signs of illness. The provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Mouth (oral). Don’t use a thermometer in your child’s mouth until they are at least 4 years old.

Use the rectal thermometer with care. Follow the product maker’s directions for correct use. Insert it gently. Label it and make sure it’s not used in the mouth. It may pass on germs from the stool. If you don’t feel OK using a rectal thermometer, ask the provider what type to use instead. When you talk with any provider about your child’s fever, tell them which type you used.

Below are guidelines to know if your young child has a fever. Your child’s health care provider may give you different numbers for your child. Follow your provider’s specific instructions.

Fever readings for a baby under 3 months old:

• First, ask your child’s provider how you should take the temperature.

• Rectal or forehead: 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

• Armpit: 99°F (37.2°C) or higher

Fever readings for a child age 3 months to 36 months (3 years):

• Rectal, forehead, or ear: 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• Armpit: 101°F (38.3°C) or higher

Call the provider in these cases:

• Repeated temperature of 104°F (40°C) or higher in a child of any age

• Fever of 100.4° (38°C) or higher in baby younger than 3 months

• Fever that lasts more than 24 hours in a child under age 2

• Fever that lasts for 3 days in a child age 2 or older