Pediatric Trauma

What is pediatric trauma?

Pediatric trauma is injuries to the musculoskeletal systems of babies, children, and teenagers. This includes a child’s bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Treating an injury properly at OrthoHouston lets it heal the right way and eases the pain associated with pediatric trauma.

What are examples of pediatric trauma?

Examples of pediatric trauma include:

• Fractures
• Strains
• Sprains
• Shin splints
• Lacerations (deep cuts or tears in the skin)
• Concussions
• Muscle tears
• Crushing injuries

It includes any mild, moderate, or severe injury in children that requires medical intervention.

What are the symptoms of pediatric trauma?

The symptoms of pediatric trauma include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion
• Weakness
• Bruising

Your child might not be able to bear weight on injured tissues.

See Our specialists at OrthoHouston at the first sign of a severe or nonhealing injury to get the treatment your child needs to recover fully.

What causes pediatric trauma?

Many things can cause pediatric trauma, including playing sports, training for sports, falling down, or being assaulted. Your child might get injured in a car accident or some other accident. Sometimes the cause of a traumatic injury isn’t entirely clear.

How is pediatric trauma diagnosed?

Our specialists ask about their symptoms and medical history to determine the kind of trauma your child or teen has suffered. they check their vital signs and complete a physical exam to look for signs of injuries, illnesses, and diseases.

Your child might need blood tests and an imaging procedure like X-rays, an MRI, or a CT scan to help Our specialists diagnose their condition and properly treat it.

How is pediatric trauma treated?

Standard treatments for pediatric trauma include:

• Braces
• Splints
• Casts
• Ice or heat packs
• Rest
• Physical therapy
• Medication
• Injections
• Traction
• Orthopedic surgery

Another approach is external fixation, a surgical treatment in which rods are screwed into the bone, exit the body, and attach to temporary stabilizing structures during the healing process.

Your child might need crutches to keep their weight off the injured tissues. They may need more than one type of treatment to heal. For example, your child might require surgery paired with medication and physical therapy.

They should attend follow-up visits with Our specialists to ensure their treatment works effectively.

Schedule an appointment today by phone or online at OrthoHouston to get treated for pediatric trauma.