My baby fractured her leg...

[nola]

Last Friday she came home from daycare very fussy. This is a break from character for her, so we assumed she was sick and put her to bed early. She was crying a little in her sleep, so we brought her to bed with us.

The next day she was still fussy and we finally noticed that if we stood her on her feet she would pull up her left leg like a stork. I freaked out. To put it in context, her pain tolerance is incredibly high. She is just bizarre that way. I knew something significant would have to have happened for her respond to it. The doctor says that it is likely a sprain and to let it heal.

Today we take her in - a week later. She is still not walking or putting much weight on the left leg. Otherwise, she is acting completely normal and happy. The doctor can't localize the pain. No matter what he does to her leg, she is acting completely cool about it. So Xrays. Again I was freaking out because I was worrying about bone cysts or cancer, etc. Nope. "green stick fracture of the tibia", meaning the tissues of the bone are still elastic enough that they don't crack open, but just break pushing some of the tissue out on the sides. Sorry if I am not explaining it correctly. I am so relieved that it is not more serious. But, still concerned that it would fracture so easily. Anyone else have this happen?

[cinrein]

Oh my goodness, poor Annie! I just wanted to say I'm sorry she fractured her leg, but glad it wasn't any of the other things you were worried about.

Hope she heals quickly.


Cindy and Anna 2/11/03

[justlearning]

So sorry to hear about her leg. It sounds like she certainly does have a high pain tolerance!

[HoneymoonBaby]

Do you know how she fractured it? I would be really concerned about what's going on at that daycare if a) she hurt her leg so badly it's BROKEN and b) they didn't tell you she'd been injured. Just seems like a red flag to me . . .

[pale_ale]

My daughter's clavicle was broken at birth - we didn't discover it until she was 10 days old and we discovered a lump on her clavicle. It healed just fine. I am sure everything will be fine!

Becky

[TaChapm2]

Hope she gets to feeling better really soon! I would question the daycare though and try to find out what happened. It's good that she can handle the pain. I don't know that I could have endured it for that long.
Tara
Mommy to Jackson (11-10-02)

[cara1]

Oh my goodness. Did they cast the leg? Poor baby...

[jojo2324]

Poor Annie!!! I am glad it is not more serious, but still scary!

I broke my leg when I was 6 months old, and had to wear a cast up to my hip for 6 weeks. Today I am walking just fine! (LOL, waddling is more like it. :))

Did you talk to your daycare provider about that day, if she fell down at an odd angle or something?

[amp]

Goodness! I'm glad you guys were able to figure it out so maybe she can get some relief from the discomfort. Hugs to you guys!

[JenaW]

OMG how awful. Thank goodness it was just a greenstick fx and not any of those other things you mentioned. I agree about checking with daycare....that is pretty scary that something may have happened there and noone mentioned it to you. Greenstick fractures are pretty common in kids, for exactly the reason you mentioned...their bones bend more than ours do, so they don't break all the way through. Other than the obvious scare of something like that happenig, your daughter should be just fine in no time!


Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

[nigele]

Poor little Annie and poor Mom! I hope her leg is feeling better soon.

[McQ]

Oh my goodness! Annie sure is a little trooper. So glad she's okay and that it's not all those things you were worried about. But like the others said, I'd ask daycare about it. Declan has fallen over or bumped his noggin a few times and I know things like that are going to happen. But if it happens when I'm not there, I'd still want to know about it.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[jubilee]

Oh, your poor little girl! Good for you that you kept persuing what was wrong. I hope she is up and doing well!

[nola]

Thanks for the support, mates. Yes, the daycare has been really fastidious about reporting events. When Annie bit another child, for instance, (heavens!, I know, I'm so embarrassed) they reported it to the parents. I have gotten reports previously regarding her knocks. (Jeez, I had to get a Dr's note, just so they could admin sunscreen) I would have thought this would generate the same parent note. None of the care givers remember anything out of the ordinary besides her being uncharacteristically fussy. So, I don't have a really good story about how this could have happened.

My only thoughts are a) she has soft bones that are begining to fall apart (I hope not) b) something happened but one of the caregivers was too afraid to report it c) something happened, no one saw it, she cried a bit, and whomever was there didn't preceive it as a physical trauma. I am hoping it is option c. And it is maybe a reach, but possible. The day she took a header of our couch she cried a bit, but it was over pretty quickly. And it is because of the things that have happened in my own house, that I try to be a little more understanding about the things that could have happened at daycare. If you let them live life, things will happen. I just didn't think it would be damaged bones.

And, the ped did not recommend a cast or any other treatment. She has been healing well, seems comfortable, and is just beginning to stand on the leg for short intervals. We are happy not to have a cast, just for her own mobility, etc. But, we are considering taking her to a specialist just for a second opinion on how it is healing.

Anyway, I am glad to hear that this does happen from time to time. It was a little frightening.

[mamahill]

I haven't had this happen, nor do I know anything about it, but wanted to say I was so sad to read this. Yikes - just reading about her pulling her leg up "like a stork" makes my heart go out to her. Hope that she (physically) and you (mentally) are recovering well!

[hez]

How scary for you...

I broke my leg @ 6 months old, too! My mom left me in the middle of her bed sleeping so she could answer the door, and I rolled off, caught my leg between the mattress & the bed frame, and voila! From what I've been told, it's tough to break a bone that young without some twisting going on... Talk about guilt for my poor mom!

[starrynight]

Poor thing! I'm glad it wasn't too serious and it seems like she is healing.

[Thatchermom]

My ds broke his leg at 18 months (full fracture)and it is very possibly your option "c" that happened at daycare. DS was literally in DH's lap when the break occurred (on a slide), we were both right there, and we had no idea it was that bad. He cried only for a few minutes, then was calm until later when he tried to stand. When we called our ped thinking it was a sprain, he told us toddlers don't really get sprains, and to come in immediately. DS even fell asleep on the way there.

He did require a cast for weeks, and you can be glad that your little one does not! A second opinion can't hurt, still. She will heal amazingly quickly and won't ever remember it - and you will never forget!