One minute, your child is running around the playground, laughing and having fun. The next minute, they trip, fall and start crying. A trip to the urgent care reveals your child has a broken bone, also known as a fracture.
As you may remember from your own childhood, fractures are common in children. Between 40% to 50% of children break a bone of some kind before age 18.
While bumps and tumbles are part of growing up, there are smart steps you can take to keep your child’s bones strong and safe. With the help of Ryan Miller, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon with Banner Children’s, learn how to protect your child and help them grow up healthy and active.
Why bone health matters in children
Bones are like the body’s building blocks. For children, these building blocks are constantly growing and changing. Unlike adult bones, children’s bones are more flexible and have a higher capacity for growth and repair.
“This flexibility is because of the presence of a growth plate, an area of developing tissue near the ends of long bones,” Dr. Miller said. “These growth plates allow bones to lengthen as children grow.”
Strong bones help children move, play and enjoy their favorite activities. “Good bone health in childhood sets the stage for a healthy skeleton later in life, reducing the risk of fractures and bone problems as they get older,” Dr. Miller said.
Common causes of broken bones
Children’s bones can break for many reasons. “The most common causes of fractures in toddlers and school-age children are trips and falls, such as on playground equipment and bicycles,” Dr. Miller said. “As children move into adolescence, fractures tend to happen due to high energy injuries, such as car accidents, sports injuries and ATV and scooter accidents.”
Other causes of broken bones:
- Overuse: Repeating the same activity over and over, such as gymnastics or pitching baseball, can stress bones and cause stress fractures.
- Poor nutrition: Not getting enough calcium, protein and vitamin D can weaken bones and make them more likely to break.
- Health conditions: Some kids have medical conditions, like brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta), a genetic (inherited) bone disorder present at birth.
10 tips to prevent broken bones
However hard you may try as a parent, it is impossible to always keep your child out of harm’s way. Accidents happen, but there are a few ways you can help prevent broken bones:
1. Provide a balanced diet: “Nutrition is extremely important for the growing skeleton,” Dr. Miller said. “A well-balanced, healthy diet is the best.” Ensure your child eats foods rich in calcium, protein and vitamin D. Good sources include dairy products, lean proteins, leafy greens and fortified foods.
2. Encourage regular exercise: Running, jumping and playing sports strengthen bones. Encourage your child to be active every day.
3. Limit high-risk activities: While it’s important for kids to be active, try to limit activities with a high risk of falls or collisions, especially without supervision.
4. Keep them hydrated: Staying hydrated is important for overall health. Encourage your child to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
5. Promote safe play: “Play is an important part of childhood development,” Dr. Miller said. “As far as playing on the playground, it’s a matter of making sure the activities are age appropriate.” Teach your child how to play safely. Check the playground to ensure it is safe. Watch young children to prevent falls.
6. Use protective gear: “Make sure your child wears protective gear during sports and activities like riding bikes or scooters,” said Dr. Miller. Helmets, wrist guards and knee pads can prevent serious injuries.
7. Teach kids to listen to their bodies: Help your child understand their body’s signals. Pain and discomfort could mean a possible injury. Encourage them to speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
8. Teach proper techniques: “Repetitive activities and excessive strain on certain body parts can happen in sports, so it’s important to be aware of this risk and take steps to prevent overuse injuries,” Dr. Miller said. This involves rest periods, changing activities to avoid repetitive strain and using proper form during physical activities.
9. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke: Smoking can weaken bones. Avoid smoking around your children and keep them away from secondhand smoke and thirdhand smoke.
10. Regular health check-ups: Well-checks help monitor your child’s growth and bone health. Share any concerns about your child’s bones with their health care provider.
Conclusion
Keeping your child safe and healthy is a top priority. Following these simple steps can help prevent broken bones and keep your child active and happy. Ensure they eat foods rich in calcium, protein and vitamin D, stay active and play in safe environments. These steps will help their bones stay strong.
If your child does experience a fracture, remember that it is a common and treatable injury. They’ll be back to their normal, active selves before you know it!
If you have concerns, talk to your child’s health care provider or a Banner Health specialist.
