Son's wrist injury??!
Question: My son is 7 and fell this morning landing on his wrist wrong. What caused the fall? Well, only he & the dogs know the truth! Anyway - it doesn't look too swollen, not too much bruising, but the veins are certainly more pronounced & visible. There is nothing that "looks" like a break - but I know they can be hairline, etc. He's a skinny 7 year old, and has not stopped complaining about it. Is there any way to get a better idea if it's a strain, sprain or possible slight break? He could just be milking it - but I don't want to take the chance - but also don't want to get stuck in urgent care for hours with bills for a bruise. Any words of wisdom? I will likely take him in to get it checked out - it's been a couple hours and we've iced it. Would he have limited mobility / flexibility with a break or sprain? What should I look for & ask? Thanks...
Answers: My son is 7 and fell this morning landing on his wrist wrong. What caused the fall? Well, only he & the dogs know the truth! Anyway - it doesn't look too swollen, not too much bruising, but the veins are certainly more pronounced & visible. There is nothing that "looks" like a break - but I know they can be hairline, etc. He's a skinny 7 year old, and has not stopped complaining about it. Is there any way to get a better idea if it's a strain, sprain or possible slight break? He could just be milking it - but I don't want to take the chance - but also don't want to get stuck in urgent care for hours with bills for a bruise. Any words of wisdom? I will likely take him in to get it checked out - it's been a couple hours and we've iced it. Would he have limited mobility / flexibility with a break or sprain? What should I look for & ask? Thanks...
He might or might not have limited range of motion with a break or sprain - your best bet is probably to take him in to have it looked at, if you're concerned.
I broke my wrist last year, but I still had full use of the hand, it just looked all bruised and hurt like crazy. I finally had it looked at a month later because I was experiencing numbness in my last two fingers. By that time I had done enough nerve damage that the docs thought I might have to have surgery to fix it - luckily, with extensive immobilization it got better, but things would have been easier if I'd just gone in when it happened.