Proper fracture care is key to bones healing properly. Fracture management controls bleeding, provides relief from pain, and helps prevent further injury.
The goal in managing fractures is to ensure that the involved limb segment, when healed, has returned to its maximal possible function. This is accomplished by obtaining and subsequently maintaining a reduction of the fracture with an immobilization technique that allows the fracture to heal and, at the same time, provides the patient with functional aftercare.
Bone fractures come in varying severity. Some fractures need minimal care to heal, others require reduction to align the bones, others need surgical intervention, and a few are immediate emergencies to prevent damage to nerves, vessels, or even severe bleeding. The challenge for the parent is to determine if there is a fracture, how severe it might be, and where it is best treated.
