BROKEN RIBS
Broken Ribs (also known as Rib fractures) usually happen when children are playing or taking part in sports. If a child slips and falls into something, such a fall has a high chance of resulting in broken ribs.
If your child needs surgery or casting, our Fracture Care Clinic opens every day and you do not need an appointment. Surgery rooms get scheduled every morning, so your child receives the care and attention they need right away.
Broken Ribs
There are 12 pairs of ribs in your child’s ribcage. These not only protect the heart and lungs, but they also support a number of upper-body muscles. When one of the bones in the human rib cage breaks or cracks, it is known as a broken rib. Many cracked ribs are actually shattered ribs. Cracked ribs are less harmful than ribs that have been fractured into distinct pieces, however, they are nonetheless unpleasant. A shattered bone’s jagged edge might injure major blood arteries or internal organs like the lungs. Broken ribs are typically left to heal on their own in one to two months. It is critical to maintain adequate pain control so that your child may continue to breathe deeply and avoid lung issues such as pneumonia.
What Causes a Rib to Break?
As the protectors of the heart and lungs, your child’s ribs are built to take a beating. Chest trauma, such as from a heavy fall, a car accident, or contact sports, is the most prevalent cause. As a result, when a child breaks a rib it is quite painful.
Repetitive motions over a long period of time, such as swinging a golf club, can put a strain on your child’s ribs and muscles. Repeating the same difficult motion can increase the risk of fracturing a rib.
What are the Symptoms of a Broken Rib?
One of the most common signs of a cracked rib arises or gets worse when your child:
- Inhale deeply; exhaling deeply hurts even more.
- Sharp pains can occur by laughing, coughing, or sneezing.
- Shooting from the point where the break occurred.
- Applying pressure to the wounded area will produce pain for at least a few weeks.
- Depending on the position of the fracture, your child may experience sudden discomfort if he or she bends or twists their body.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How do children typically break their ribs?
Children can break their ribs through various mechanisms, with the most common cause being blunt trauma, such as falls, sports-related injuries, or accidents. Accidental trauma while playing, bicycle accidents or even child abuse can result in rib fractures. Doctors need to know the circumstances surrounding the injury to determine the cause.
What are the signs and symptoms of a broken rib in a child?
Children with broken ribs may experience symptoms like severe pain at the site of the injury, pain that worsens with breathing, coughing, or movement, tenderness and swelling over the fractured area, and sometimes difficulty breathing. In some cases, bruising or deformity will appear at the site of the injury. However, doctors may find rib fractures challenging to diagnose, especially in young children who may not communicate their symptoms effectively.
How are broken ribs treated in children and what is the expected recovery time?
The treatment of broken ribs in children typically involves managing pain and providing supportive care. Rest, pain-relieving medications (under medical guidance), and avoiding strenuous activities that could worsen the injury indicate common approaches. Most rib fractures in children heal on their own within several weeks to a couple of months. However, in severe cases there may be a concern about underlying organ injury, hospitalization, and additional monitoring may be necessary. It’s essential for parents to follow the guidance of healthcare providers closely to ensure proper healing and minimize complications.
When children break bones, parents need to take them to the very best doctors. At the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, we are the best. We specialize in children and their bones.
When Should You See a Doctor?
If your child has a particularly tender spot in their rib area as a result of trauma, or if your child has difficulty breathing or pain with deep breathing, see your doctor.
If your child experiences pressure, fullness, or a squeezing ache in the middle of their chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or pain that goes beyond their chest to their shoulder or arm, seek medical help right away.
Causes
The most common causes of broken ribs are direct strikes, such as those from automobile accidents, falls, child abuse, or contact sports. Ribs can fracture as a result of repetitive damage from activities like golf and rowing, as well as strong and persistent coughing.
Risk Factors Involved in Broken Ribs
The following things can make your child more likely to break a rib:
- Osteoporosis. Your child is more likely to break a bone if your child has this illness, which causes bones to lose density.
- Participation in sports. Contact sports, such as hockey or football, enhance the chances of suffering a chest injury.
- A rib cancerous tumor. A malignant lesion can weaken the bone and make it more prone to breaking.
Complications
Blood vessels and internal organs can result from a shattered rib. As the number of broken ribs rises, so does the risk. The number of complications varies depending on which ribs are broken. Complications that may arise include:
- An aorta that has been torn or pierced. Your child’s aorta or another major blood vessel could rupture by the sharp edge of a break in one of the first three ribs at the top of the rib cage.
- A lung that has been punctured. A fractured middle rib’s jagged edge can puncture a lung, causing it to collapse. Spleen, liver, or kidneys that are lacerated.
- Because the bottom two ribs are more flexible than the upper and middle ribs, which are anchored to the breastbone, they rarely fracture. However, if your child breaks a lower rib, the fractured ends can damage the spleen, liver, or kidney.
Prevention
To avoid breaking a rib, follow the following precautions:
- Take precautions to avoid sports-related injuries. Children should wear protective equipment when participating in contact sports.
- Lower the chances of a home fall. Remove debris off your floors and remove spills as soon as possible; use a rubber mat in the shower; keep your home well-lit; and install skid-proof backing on carpets and area rugs.
- Make your child’s bones stronger. To keep your child’s bones strong, your child must consume adequate calcium and vitamin D. From food and supplements that your doctor can prescribe.
Our Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeons
A broken rib is more difficult to see than a broken toe or arm. It’s best to see a doctor if you suspect your child has a cracked rib. Imaging tests can confirm a broken rib or any other broken bones. Children spend a lot of time in action, from ball grounds to monkey bars. These exercises can sometimes result in bone, muscle, or joint injuries. When this happens, our pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists offer your child the care he or she requires to recover swiftly.
We also have extensive experience caring for children with chronic or congenital bone and muscular disorders. We provide orthopedic care using the most up-to-date and cutting-edge techniques. Our objective is to make your child’s and family’s recuperation as simple as possible. We accomplish this by avoiding surgery whenever possible, limiting hospital stays, minimizing complications, and doing everything we can to ensure that your kid has the best possible outcome.
Request An Appointment For Your Child’s Broken Ribs
Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists have been providing excellent broken ribs for many years. We focus on improving the long-term health of your child’s bones. If your child is in pain as a result of a broken rib, call one of our compassionate experts at 214-556-0590 to schedule an appointment with us. Finally, we offer personalized treatment and urgent pediatric care services at all of our four locations — Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX. If you notice any symptoms of broken ribs in your child, don’t hesitate to contact us to avoid complications.
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