Anyone's child break gowth plate in their fibula/ankle?

[Chocolate Lover]

DS 10 was going down some stairs and twisted his ankle. The growth plate is separated in the petite long bone in the lower leg, the fibula. He was x-rayed and casted last week.

 

He is supposed to use the crutches, and only put weight on as tolerated. He is frustrated with not being able to do any sports, and only being a "couch potato" for a WHOLE MONTH, (his emphasis, not mine).

 

The possibilities are that the growth plate dies and the fibula stops lengthening but the tibia still lengthens. If that happens he will eventually walk on his arch instead of the flat of the foot. If this happens he would need surgery or surgeries to lengthen the fibula to match the tibia. This complication is unlikely, but I am a worry wort. :confused:

 

Has anyone had a child with this break? How did it heal? Complications? Surgeries?

 

Thank you for any feedback.

[Jennifer in MI]

I agree - see an ortho doc.

 

My ds broke his arm on the growth plate. The first doc scared the living daylights out of us - telling us all the scary stories about surgery, pins, etc.

 

The ortho guy watched him carefully, but told us that complications like that (one the arm, at least) are VERY rare. Ds' arm healed fine and he's back to pitching in baseball again!

:grouphug:

[Chocolate Lover]

Margaret, I am so sorry to hear of you daughter's loss of a dream of running due to her ankle injury. My DS loves soccer, baseball, and basketball, all potentially hard on the ankle. He also runs fast, but we will see if he wants to participate in track and field as a sport.

 

Yes, I took him to the pediatrician first, hoping it was only soft tissue damage, but had a sinking feeling and needing confirmation. The ped took one look and never touched the ankle for palpation. He said this is serious, you need an ortho doc. So we were referred to the local children's hospital and their ortho clinic. That is where DS got the diagnosis of Salter-Harris 1 fracture of the distal fibula growth plate.

 

As I said before, I am a worrier. Also, DS is having a hard time balancing his frustration level at being restricted from his usual activities and can't see the long term consequences if he keeps putting full weight on the cast. He vasilates from just carrying the casted leg to almost walking regularly and carrying the crutches. I can't get him to function in the middle range with weight on the cast as tolerated and weight on the crutches.

 

Any help on getting a 10 year old boy to act moderately with the cast and crutches?

[Chocolate Lover]

Jennifer, I am so glad to hear of your DS's growth plate healing well and back to normal function of his arm. Thank you for the story and outcome. That is heartening to me.

 

Maybe I am just overly worrying. Can't help it though.

Edited November 11, 2010 by Chocolate Lover

[Chocolate Lover]

Any help on getting a 10 year old boy to put weight moderately on the cast and crutches?

 

I worry and have become the mommy who is constantly telling him how to use the crutches. On Friday, I told him since it had been a week, he could put a little more weight on the cast. He left the crutches at home, and I didn't see it until we arrived at our destination, then we went back home to get them, and returned to where we were going. What a morning! He thought he could go from 10% weight bearing to 100%! and what I was thinking was up to maybe 30%. Can a 10 year old boy hear subtlety? Am I expecting too much? Is he just ignoring me?

 

Any advice would be welcome.

[Elizabeth in WA]

:grouphug:

 

My son broke his ankle next to the growth plate, suspected but unconfirmed growth plate involvement. He was completely non-weight-bearing for nine weeks. It was really hard to keep him off it toward the end. He had two months of physically therapy afterward and is still, eight months later, not 100% back to where he was, though you can only tell in his sport, gymnastics, where he has not recovered his "bounce" which is to say "lift" to perform tricks on the floor exercise.

 

I'd definitely see an orthopedic specialist. Also, whatever you do, take seriously the need to work slowly and consistently at recovering strength and flexibility in the joint when the doctor says its safe to do so. If offered physical therapy, I strongly suggest taking it.

[gardening momma]

Any help on getting a 10 year old boy to put weight moderately on the cast and crutches?

Bend his leg and duct tape it in place? :D Ok, maybe not so moderate.