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?
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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.
Understanding the Differences Between Simple and Complex Rib Fractures
Rib fractures can vary significantly in their severity and impact on the body. Let’s delve into the key distinctions between simple and complex rib fractures.
Simple Rib Fractures
- Characteristics: These fractures typically involve a single rib and are often described as hairline fractures. This means the bone remains in place and is not displaced.
- Diagnosis: Simple fractures might not be immediately visible on a standard chest X-ray. Persistent localized pain can lead to an ultrasound, which may reveal the fracture.
- Additional Points: Even though they typically involve one or two ribs, there can still be cases where the ribs are partially or fully displaced or fractured in multiple sections.
Complex Rib Fractures
- Characteristics: Complex fractures usually involve multiple ribs that are broken and displaced, meaning the broken ends are not aligned with each other.
- Serious Complications: If several adjacent ribs are fractured in multiple locations, it can result in a condition known as a “flail segment.” This segment can move independently from the rest of the chest wall, posing significant risks such as impaired breathing.
- Associated Issues: Complex fractures, known as contusions, are often linked with lung bruising. This adds another layer of concern and requires careful medical attention.
By understanding the particular traits and implications of each type of fracture, individuals and healthcare providers can better assess the severity of a rib injury and determine the appropriate course of action.
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, 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 immediately.
When it comes to classifying the severity of rib injuries, they are generally divided into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Understanding these categories can guide appropriate medical evaluations and treatments. Here’s a breakdown of each:
Mild Rib Injuries
- Type of Injury: These are usually minor incidents, such as bumping into an object.
- Symptoms: Expect mild discomfort without noticeable bruising or swelling. Tenderness may be present, but breathing is typically unaffected.
- Diagnosis: Often relies on clinical evaluation with no need for additional tests. However, if discomfort lingers, a chest X-ray might be recommended. If the X-ray is normal but the pain persists, an ultrasound could be considered.
Moderate Rib Injuries
- Type of Injury: Typically results from more significant events like falls.
- Symptoms: Includes pain during breathing, along with clear tenderness, bruising, or swelling in the chest area.
- Diagnosis: Clinicians may be concerned about rib fractures. In such cases, a chest X-ray is suggested. If breathing problems are severe, a CT scan may be necessary to get a clearer picture.
Severe Rib Injuries
- Type of Injury: These are serious incidents, such as falls from a height or traffic accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, or drivers.
- Symptoms: Persistent severe pain, along with significant tenderness, bruising, or swelling, and potential abnormal findings on chest exams.
- Diagnosis: A CT scan is typically required to assess any chest wall injuries and possible internal damage due to the severity of the incident.
Understanding these classifications helps in assessing the injury’s seriousness and deciding on the best course of action for medical care.
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
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Breathlessness
- Acute Causes: Acute breathlessness can be caused by chest wall pain that prevents deep breaths. There are potential complications like lung collapse, fluid build-up (effusion), and developing chest infections (pneumonia).
- Chronic Causes: Chronic breathlessness links to ongoing pain and complications from retained blood or fluid that can trap the lung.
Internal Injuries
- Types of Internal Injuries: Various internal injuries such as lung bruising (contusions), collapse (pneumothorax), and effusions (blood or fluid).
- Rare Complications: Rare complications like hernias, where either lung or upper abdominal contents protrude between broken ribs, and diaphragmatic hernias, detail how these can lead to further symptoms and require specific diagnostic measures like chest X-rays or CT scans.
Comprehensive Coverage
- Diagnostic Measures: Diagnostic tools, such as X-rays and CT scans detect these conditions, which is crucial for understanding the severity of internal injuries.
There are potential complications from broken ribs, torn blood vessels, punctured lungs, and lacerated organs.
What is the Difference Between Non-Union, Delayed Union, and Mal-union
When discussing rib fractures, understanding the differences between non-union, delayed union, and mal-union is crucial. Each term describes a unique issue in the healing process after a fracture.
Non-Union
Non-union occurs when a fractured rib fails to heal completely without medical intervention, such as surgery. This failure can result from excessive movement at the fracture site, insufficient blood supply, or an infection that disrupts normal healing.
Delayed Union
Delayed union refers to a fracture that takes longer than the usual timeframe to heal, typically not achieving full bone union within six months. While healing is still progressing, it’s significantly slower than expected, often necessitating careful monitoring by healthcare professionals.
Mal-Union
Mal-union is characterized by a fracture that heals but in a misaligned position. This improper alignment can cause the rib or affected area to function incorrectly, possibly resulting in an abnormal appearance or impaired function, such as a ‘bent’ rib.
By recognizing these differences, medical professionals can develop an effective treatment plan tailored to address the specific healing challenge presented by each condition.
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 bone. 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.
Radiological Assessments for Diagnosing Rib Injuries
When it comes to diagnosing rib injuries, radiological assessments play a crucial role in determining the extent and severity of the damage. Here’s a breakdown of the key imaging techniques used:
- Chest X-ray:
A common first step, a chest x-ray helps in identifying major rib fractures and other associated issues. It can reveal complications like fluid accumulation in the chest or a collapsed lung. - Chest Ultrasound:
Often utilized when the injury is subtle, a chest ultrasound can identify ‘hairline’ or partial rib fractures. It’s particularly useful for detecting internal problems, such as fluid build-up (effusion), lung bruising (contusions), or pneumothorax (collapsed lung). - Chest CT Scan:
This is the most sensitive option, especially if multiple rib injuries are suspected. A CT scan gives a detailed view of the rib injuries’ number and severity and highlights any additional chest-related issues like lung contusions.
By employing these imaging techniques, healthcare providers can accurately diagnose and treat rib injuries, ensuring that any underlying complications are promptly addressed.
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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