What should I do if my child has a fractured clavicle? These methods to cope

If a child's clavicle is found to be fractured, parents should take the child to the hospital for a detailed examination to see the severity of the fracture. If it is mild, conservative treatment can be used. If it is particularly serious, surgical treatment is required. In addition, the parents should master the correct care methods.

1. How to treat baby’s clavicle fracture?

Your baby's doctor will examine him to make sure the fracture has not damaged his nerves or blood vessels. He or she will order an X-ray to check the extent of the fracture and determine its exact location.

Many clavicle fractures heal on their own without surgery, but sometimes the arm on the broken side needs to be immobilized to allow the injury to heal. Your doctor may place your baby's arm in a sling or use a figure-eight bandage that pulls the shoulder back and holds all the bones in their normal position. The benefit of this bandage is that your baby will still be able to use his arms and hands.

Your doctor may recommend giving your baby children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief and using ice packs (apply every 2 to 3 hours for 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day) to reduce swelling for the first 48 hours.

To strengthen the affected area, your doctor may teach your baby to do some simple activities once the pain is gone. You should try to prevent your baby from being too active until the bones have healed.

2. What are the symptoms of a baby’s clavicle fracture?

If your baby has a broken collarbone, you may notice one or more of the following signs:

His shoulders slumped forward.

He cannot lift his arm and bring it close to his body (although this is also a sign of radial head subluxation)

Bruising of the clavicle

Swelling of the collarbone

There is a lump where the broken bone is. A broken clavicle rarely breaks the skin, but it may push against the skin, forming a bump.

A lump around the broken bone, called a callus, appears within the first week after the fracture.

3. How long will it take for a baby to heal from a broken clavicle?

Although the pain will go away in two to three weeks, it will take up to eight weeks for the bones to become strong again. It may take about 6 months for the callus to disappear. Once the bone has grown back, your baby will be perfectly healthy again and the fracture will have no long-term effects on him.