While playing is physically and socially beneficial for children, the harder they play, the greater chance they have of injuring themselves. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, broken bones due to falls are No. 4 on the list of common injuries in children. While no bone injury is a good one, the healing process for children is usually quicker and easier than with adults.
Bone Anatomy
All bones have an outer layer called a periosteum. The periosteum layer is made of fibers, and it supplies bones with oxygen, blood and other nutrients needed for growth and repair. Bones in children are constantly growing, so this layer is much thicker in children than adults, which speeds recovery time. This layer also make kids' bones more flexible, often leading to a common break called a green stick break. This occurs when one side of the bone bends and the other splinters, similar to trying to break a stick that has just been cut from a tree and is still pliable.
Natural Healing Process
When a child injures a bone, the thick periosteum layer will start bleeding immediately, attempting to form blood clots around both ends of the break. After three to six weeks, the clot transforms into a bump called a callus. This callus is made of soft cartilage, can be seen and felt with the naked eye and binds the two broken ends of bone together. While this helps stabilize the bone naturally, it's not strong enough to handle stress or pressure, so reinjury can easily occur. The callus calcifies into hard bone over time and does some remodeling in an effort to straighten itself -- a process that can range from six weeks to three months or more.
Growth Plates
If the break is near the ends of the bones, it may not be seen on an X-ray. This is due to the growth plates found in the bones of adolescents, where the bone grows in length. The growth plates are located on both ends of the bones and are made more of connective tissue than hard bone, which shows as an empty space on most X-rays. If a fracture in this area is ignored, long-term bone growth can be impaired. Depending on the location and severity of the break, the injury can require treatment ranging from a simple sling or cast to repositioning the bone manually or surgically.
Helping the Healing Process
The healing process can range from annoying to extremely painful. As a parent or caregiver of a child with a bone injury, there are some things you can do to ease the healing process, such as providing a diet high in vitamin C and calcium, which supports bone formation. Avoid contact sports and playground equipment that can lead to your child reinjuring the fracture. Talk to your doctor about types of age-appropriate medication, as well as other remedies such as applying ice to help relieve pain.
