Moral Support Needed: DD Broke Her Arm Today

[SuzieQMomof3]

Well, I need some advice.

I just found out today that my 12 month old daughter has a broken arm. I think it may have happened on Saturday but we were out of town and it wasn't until we got home last night (Tuesday) and I noticed she wasn't crawling that I really started to worry.

I took her today to the pediatrician, x-ray center, and orthopedist who put a cast from her wrist to just under her shoulder.

I took a look at the x-ray and just started to cry. I can't believe it took me three days to figure this out. I feel awful.

She'll have the cast on for 3-4 weeks, which is during our upcoming trip to Disney so I'm looking for some tips or information about how to handle this. I have no experience with broken bones or trying to keep her comfortable and the cast dry.

We were supposed to go to Typhoon Lagoon one day. Should we forget about trying to do that?

I'd appreciate any advice you have. Thanks.

Susan

 

[Carrie Ellis]

My daughter was around a year old and she fell out of the baby bed. I knew the "thump" was a sound of a body even with the door shut. I was in the ER with her for over 8 hours before they would splint it, which was after the orthopedic surgeon looked at it. They needed to finish the break so she had to be put under.

I could remember the stress, not eating because she couldn't, crying when she woke up from the surgery, etc...I felt like an inch tall.

But all ended well!!! She did great with the cast. I bought a sling that I thought would be better than the one they issued but we ended up not using either toward the end.

It was all healed in 3 weeks but they took the cast off at 4 weeks. Her arm wasn't even puny!! It looked like it really never had a cast!

I say all that to let you know they kiddos do so much better than adults and heal very very fast. She never complained about itching!

She got her cast wet in the bath tub once and I paniced. I tried blow drying it some. With being so little and a fast healer, I don't think the cast is on long enough to get yucky or stinky.

They do sale at medical stores a sleeve for all types of cast but I did not see one for little cast. You could check and ask around. You could make your own too with a bread and elastic at the top, just not too tight.

I might think about not taking her to the water park unless you find some good way to wrap it. Otherwise, I think you will be suprised on how well she copes with it!

It will be ok! Don't worry too much. Keep her cast and some pics for her memory box!

Good luck and many prayers!

 

[StephMK]

I'm so sorry! Hope she's feeling fine now with the cast.

My neighbor's 18 mo son broke his arm earlier this summer. They have waterproof casts & he had no problems going swimming, baths, etc. with it. It was off after 3 weeks. She said he really handled it well & didn't fuss about wearing it at all.

Hope she does well & you enjoy your trip!

 

[DWhittles]

I'm sending hugs your daughters way!
When my guy (who is 7 months now) was about 4 months I was trying to carry my 45 lb Graco stroller down the front steps and I was letting it bounce down the steps. The next thing I know, PJ isn't in the carrage anymore but at the bottom of the stoop, face down not crying or anything. The kid flew over the top and down 5 cement stairs to land at the bottom. I scooped him up and ran to the Dr. I couldn't even speak I was crying so hard.
She sent us to the hospital for a Catscan and the whole time we waited (3 hours) I felt like the WORST mother on the entire planet. To make matters worse there was a 10 month old with the sweetest smile being put through the awful experience of a catheder and they didn't close the door or anything! I'll never forget his screams of agony as I snuggled my little guy wondering if he was going to have brain damage because of his stupid dumb mommy.
He wound up being fine. (Thick skull like his dad!)
I think EVERY little person has survived at least one event that makes mommies hair turn gray instantly...
Let us know how your trip goes with a baby with a cast. I'm SURE there are other parents out there with the same situation who would love to hear how everything went.
Diana

 

[prplcrzy]

I would check into getting a waterproof cast. They look like regular casts only the inside padding is what needs to be waterproof. If you can't get a waterproof one, I have heard of wraps you can buy that go around the cast and keep it dry. Here's a link to a site I found, I don't know if they have them small enough, but you could call them.

http://www.orthomedicalsupplies.com...v?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=oms&Category_Code=xs

I definitely wouldn't go to a water park if she had a
non-waterproof cast. It won't stay dry in a place like that and I would think it would be harder for her to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else.

My dd has been to Disney at least 3 times with broken ankles, but luckily I had them give her the walking boot type so she could take it off and just sit in the water.

For rain and bathing, I would put a get around it and secure the top so the water doesn't get in. Other than that, she'll have a great time and won't even be bothered by it.

Have a great trip!

Nancy

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

No advice here. I just wanted to wish you good luck on your trip. Have fun!

 

[eeyore kelly]

ITA with the water proof casts. I just learned about them this summer. I am the day Camp director for Cub Scouts, and thought I was going to have a stroke when I saw one of my cubbies in a cast at the water front. I was amazed by how well it held up. It is more expensive though. The Mom told me she paid a $100 deductible (sp) for it. If you can't get a waterproof cast, skip the water park.

 

[llp479]

My 7 year old dd broke her arm 8 weeks ago. She had to have surgery with two pins to fix the break, and a cast from her wrist to her shoulder. The cast came off 2 weeks ago and she is now in PT to regain use of her arm. She wasn't able to have a waterproof cast due to the pins, so swimming was out.

I would skip the waterpark. Even if you find something to cover it with, you'll probably be a nervous wreck worrying about it. I gave my dd Motrin to help with the pain. For the itching, it helped to put a cold pack above the cast. Don't know if just took her mind off the itching, but she stopped complaining.

Best of luck!

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

Thanks everyone,

I checked that web link and that looks like a great solution. A friend-of-a-friend used one at our lake last summer and had a lot of success with it.

The more I think about it, I do want to get something, even if we skip the water park. We're staying at Beach Club Villas, and she loves the water so much and they have a great pool there.

I have to double check the sizes to see if it's small enough. The whole thing is only 8 inches long and it goes from her wrist all the way up under her arm.

Thanks for all the well-wishes. I was feeling pretty guilty there for a while. I'm sure we'll have fun either way.

Maybe we can get Mickey to sign her cast.

Susan

 

[LKS]

I was there last summer, only it was my 6yo who broke his arm (slipped in pine straw next to our deck) on the day we arrived in Myrtle Beach for an end of summer quick trip. We had booked a hotel with expedia to go down to WDW and do both waterparks with our leftover pluses over Labor Day weekend. We ended up getting the grandparents to babysit and my husband and I had a nice adults-only weekend and we postponed the waterpark trip to Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately, the same child broke the same arm (bad bounce off of a friend's trampoline required a big plaster cast!) before that trip, and we are now planning to go this Labor Day weekend. Bottom line, I would skip the waterpark. It was so hard to keep them dry and boy did our son's cast reek after 4 weeks, and then 6 weeks - just from sweat. Phew.

I didn't know there were really waterproof casts. Perhaps what the baby I saw at the beach a few weeks ago had. He was walking and the parents just let him have at the surf with no cover at all on his arm. I thought they were nuts. It was at least fiberglass.

 

[erinch]

When my DS was 14 he got in a stupid fight the first week of ninth grade (defending his honor over a girl! ) and broke BOTH of his hands. He was in 2 casts for 6 weeks--we paid extra for the waterproof fiberglass (which he got all in black) and he had plenty of time during his suspension to do chores to work off the extra $$ the insurance didn't cover.

It would have been a nightmare without waterproff

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

Well, we got a xerosox today, size x-small half-arm, which is still huge on her full arm cast. We tried it out in a friend's pool and it worked pretty well. Luckily her arm is chubby enough so the cuff of the cast cover fits well. She was a little fussy but got over it pretty quickly when she got into the pool. I think it will be easy to keep dry because her arm will never be submerged anyway since she's only 12 months. I'm usually carrying her everywhere anyway. By the time her arm is healed my lower back will be in traction. Ha Ha Ha

We've been putting a dishwashing glove over the whole cast at meal times so she doesn't get it dirty. She looks like a cartoon rendition of Edward Sicsorhands.

I must be getting over the guilt because it seems funny sometimes now-all the hoop-la we have to go through to do the littlest things.

The cast is fiberglass but it is not waterproof. I still might look into getting a waterproof cast but I don't want to put her through the hassle of replacing the cast. Once was enough.