broken arm/WDW?

[bethifoody]

Thanks so much, Nanette! Those are all great suggestions & I'll be sure to put them to good use.

Beth

Edit: Oooh! I'm so excited - this is my 75th post & I've made it to mouseketeer!

 

[abcboys]

My 2 year old just got his leg cast off yesterday. He had the waterproof kind on and I LOVED IT. He could take a bath, swim, whatever. If he got dirt up in his toes down his cast I just rinsed it out. I would never go back to the non waterproof kind. I thought the cotton batting inside felt very comfy and he never complained of it. Also his leg/cast was not grody or stinky when it was taken off. I guess because the water had washed it out when he was wearing it.

 

[bethifoody]

Well, it's nice to see a review of a waterproof cast from someone who's actually used one! I'm glad to hear you had a good experience. Not that I'm hoping any one of my three boys needs a cast anytime soon, but if they do, I may enquire about the waterproof kind, just to see what the doc says!

Thanks!
Beth

 

[CantWaitToGo2007]

My 2 year old just got his leg cast off yesterday. He had the waterproof kind on and I LOVED IT. He could take a bath, swim, whatever. If he got dirt up in his toes down his cast I just rinsed it out. I would never go back to the non waterproof kind. I thought the cotton batting inside felt very comfy and he never complained of it. Also his leg/cast was not grody or stinky when it was taken off. I guess because the water had washed it out when he was wearing it.

The material that we use on water proof cast is a type of gortex. It sticks to you when you sweat. But the one you described sounds much more comfy.

 

[SueM in MN]

Putting powder down the cast for when he is sweating doesn't help. In fact it just makes a breeding ground for bacteria. I'm sure the doctor probably told you, but should the cast get wet (I'm talking soaking/dripping/fell in the pool wet inside, not just a little damp at the edge) it will need to be taken off. Wet cast can break down the skin in less than 24 hours. We had a kid come in a few weeks ago that had fallen in the lake and didn't tell his parents for 3 days. When we took off the cast layers of skin on the bottom of his foot came off (I know gross). I hope I didn't scare you with that last fact. Have a great trip enjoy the pool, water parks and wet rides

Nanette

I was going to post what you posted, but you beat me to it.
(RN here).
If it is itchy or hot, you can use a turkey baster to shoot air under the cast, but nothing else.
As another poster mentioned, don't stick anything into the cast if it gets itchy - that can cause a scratch which can end up causing a very nasty infection (that may not be evident until the cast is removed).

 

[bethifoody]

THanks, SueM, for the advice - I love the turkey baster idea!

Beth

 

[SueM in MN]

THanks, SueM, for the advice - I love the turkey baster idea!

Beth

If nothing else, it gives the child something to do so they can focus on something other than the itching.

and it won't hurt anything to do it.

 

[mommylicious]

We did WDW in Feb with my DS5 in a short arm cast. He did fine! We had a waterproof cast. Actually the way it worked was that he had a long arm plaster cast on for a few weeks then right before our trip we went and they changed it to a short arm waterproof cast for us so we wouldn't have to worry about rain or water rides. He did fine with it! As a matter of fact he had fun with it because he was able to get quite a few character signatures on it so it was a "cool thing" to have. The character escort CMs all have sharpies with them so if you happen to lose yours b/c someone was playing with it at lunch you can always ask to borrow theirs. Our son even started having regular CMs sign it and they seemed to get a big kick out of that. Quite a few of the Atrium Club CMs at the CR signed it. DS's favorites thing was having the Power Rangers sign his cast...

 

[bethifoody]

We did WDW in Feb with my DS5 in a short arm cast. He did fine! We had a waterproof cast. Actually the way it worked was that he had a long arm plaster cast on for a few weeks then right before our trip we went and they changed it to a short arm waterproof cast for us so we wouldn't have to worry about rain or water rides. He did fine with it! As a matter of fact he had fun with it because he was able to get quite a few character signatures on it so it was a "cool thing" to have. The character escort CMs all have sharpies with them so if you happen to lose yours b/c someone was playing with it at lunch you can always ask to borrow theirs. Our son even started having regular CMs sign it and they seemed to get a big kick out of that. Quite a few of the Atrium Club CMs at the CR signed it. DS's favorites thing was having the Power Rangers sign his cast...

Well, I'm thinking we'll have to go in tomorrow to have a new cast put on (ds decided to dunk his in the bathtub at 830 on Friday; I couldn't get anyone to help us over the weekend, not the ER, not the orthopedic dr., not his pediatrician...) so maybe I'll ask discreetly about what to do on the trip. Thanks a bunch for your post!

Beth

 

[mom23boys]

My DS also 5 has had a broken arm since June 30th. We first had a long arm cast with it being waterproofed, we went swimming, but the water collected in at the elbow. We went back 10 days later for an x-ray and to replace the cast, it broke. They put him in a long arm regular fiberglass cast. We could not get it wet. What a pain that was, I was told even with a heavy cover it would not be safe to get it wet.

So after 2 more weeks we thought it was coming off but after another xray he was re-casted in a short arm fiberglass waterproof cast. He was so disappointed but it has been great with this new cast. He goes swimming and baths with no problem.

We go again on August 10th. I hope it comes off, just because it has been so long and we leave on the 23rd to WDW.

Sorry this was so long, but since my son is the same age and has had it waterproofed and not just wanted to give my story.

Good luck

Sharon

P.S. I also agree with no buttons or snaps, he has had a few accidents because of it. So he only wears elastic.

 

[bethifoody]

Well, we went back to the orthopedic doc yesterday. The old cast was removed since he'd dunked it in the bathtub. They still didn't even offer the waterproof cast - I had to ask. She didn't say anything about it other than it was an extra $30 charge, payable up front of course. So, given what we've got coming up & the fact that it's high (meaning HOT) summer here in MI, I opted for the waterproof. If it doesn't work out, then I can't say I didn't at least try. Peter was very excited about the prospect of swimming.

I did have to talk him out of getting a black cast, though... Where he comes up with these things, I'll never know!

Thank you to you all for your advice and kind words!

Beth

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

I did Disney with a cast when I was 15. I fractured my ankle at cheerleading practice the week before we went. It was a real bummer for me. I didn't want to use the wheelchair, but had to. It was way too much walking for crutches. The only good thing was that we got to ride all of the rides without waiting!!

I wish they would have had waterproof casts back in the day! That would have been a nice thing to have.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

We just returned from the World on July 21st. DS7 broke his radius two weeks before our trip. I told our ortho about the upcoming trip and they put Ethan in a waterproof cast up to the elbow. This was a GODSEND!!!!!

Ethan went on every ride and went swimming every day. The cast was taken off when we got home and his arm looked great. Except for the fact that the rest of his arm was tan, you never would have known he had been in a cast for 4 weeks.

Best of luck!

 

[mom23boys]

I did have to talk him out of getting a black cast, though... Where he comes up with these things, I'll never know!

My DS got a black cast. This is his third, the first two were blue and green.

I tried to bribe him to get red but he would not budge.

 

[SueM in MN]

My DS got a black cast. This is his third, the first two were blue and green.

I tried to bribe him to get red but he would not budge.

Hmmm......
black cast......
summer sun........

That seemd like a lesson about the relationship between color and hot sun would be learned pretty quickly in Florida.

 

[bethifoody]

Hmmm......
black cast......
summer sun........

That seemd like a lesson about the relationship between color and hot sun would be learned pretty quickly in Florida.

I totally agree on that... however, in my case, it would likely be most suffered by dh & me, having to listen to the darling 5 y.o. whine about it being hot & itchy. No thanks! I'm just thankful Peter agreed to green - not my first choice, but it wasn't black either! I guess that's one of the perks of it being a kindergartener with a broken wrist & not an older child. Mom's word carries a lot more weight!

 

[bethifoody]

I did Disney with a cast when I was 15. I fractured my ankle at cheerleading practice the week before we went. It was a real bummer for me. I didn't want to use the wheelchair, but had to. It was way too much walking for crutches. The only good thing was that we got to ride all of the rides without waiting!!

I wish they would have had waterproof casts back in the day! That would have been a nice thing to have.

That would've sucked! Hopefully you won't ever have to do that again.

 

[bethifoody]

We just returned from the World on July 21st. DS7 broke his radius two weeks before our trip. I told our ortho about the upcoming trip and they put Ethan in a waterproof cast up to the elbow. This was a GODSEND!!!!!

Ethan went on every ride and went swimming every day. The cast was taken off when we got home and his arm looked great. Except for the fact that the rest of his arm was tan, you never would have known he had been in a cast for 4 weeks.

Best of luck!

Thanks! I'll tell ya, ever since he heard yesterday that he could go swimming with his cast on, that's all he's asked to do! I am so glad I asked about it at the orthopedic doc's office. I had to run to MIL's tonight to drop something off; she & FIL live on a lake. Next thing I knew, the boys were jumping off the dock into the water - I haven't seen them play like that in a while. It was a good thing! I'm sure Disney will be even better, too!

 

[bethifoody]

My DS got a black cast. This is his third, the first two were blue and green.

I tried to bribe him to get red but he would not budge.

I gotta agree w/ SueM on this one... that's going to be a quickly but uncomfortably learned lesson... The question becomes, who'll be most bothered by it?! I know in my case, it would've been me!

 

[mommylicious]

When my son got his waterproof cast it was January. The PA who saw us that day told him he could shower, take a bath or go swimming with that cast on. DS was THRILLED by this and told everyone about it all day long. I figured out at bedtime that he interpreted that statement as "before you go to bed you get your choice...a shower, a bath or go swimming!" Guess which one he wanted. He was not happy with me when I explained that the doctor meant that he could go swimming at Disney IF the weather was warm enough. Of course it wasn't but that's a whole other 4 year old rant.