Summertime is typically filled with activities that encourage fun in the sun. From playgrounds to summer camps to vacations and weekend adventures, we are all seeking some excitement for our kiddos, but an orthopedic injury can, quite literally, stop you in your tracks.
If your child is injured, do you know what steps to take to triage an orthopedic injury before you can get them to the nearest physician? How would you respond to your child’s injury? Can you stay calm, or would you panic? Do you know where to go for urgent injury care?
Orthopedic specialist, Johanna Verburg, explains a few simple triage tips on how to respond and support your child from the moment an injury occurs.
Typically, when your child is injured, you may panic. This is understandable, but your child will feed off your energy and will react exactly how they perceive your reaction as a parent. They need you to stay calm and start thinking quickly and carefully about the next steps for injury care.
The first thing you want to do is get whatever part of the body is injured, stabilized and supported. For example, if your child has an ankle injury, get something wrapped around it and get it elevated. If it’s a wrist injury, place something like a firm pillow underneath the arm to rest on.
Once stabilized, put ice on the injury. People typically consider ice to aid in swelling for injuries. But, what they may not realize, is that ice actually affects the nerves and reduces the ability to feel for the short term. Particularly in children, particularly right away, ice is a huge part of keeping pain under control.
As soon as the injury is stabilized, you should immediately give your child pain medication, such as Tylenol, so that once you get to a healthcare provider, their pain is stable. Then caregivers can evaluate their injury and begin treatment as quickly as possible.
Injury Tips for Parents
- Stay (or at least Act) Calm
- Stabilize and Support the Injury
- Surround with Ice Packs for Temporary Pain Management
- Supply Tylenol or Ibuprofen for pain and swelling
- Start Heading to OrthoExpress Urgent Care to see an orthopedic specialist fast.
More About OrthoExpress Urgent Care
OrthoExpress Urgent Care is open 7 days a week, providing urgent access to specialized injury care when you need it most. We are a walk-in clinic so no appointment is necessary. You can call ahead if you want (205) 677-0001. From the moment you walk in the door at OrthoExpress, we are going to react as quickly as we can to get your child’s injury taken care of as quickly as possible. OrthoExpress is located at 104 Chelsea Point Dr. Chelsea, AL 35242.
OrthoExpress Urgent Care
Shelby County’s only immediate injury care clinic
Open M-F 10 am to 8 pm
and weekends 1 pm to 6 pm
104 Chelsea Point Dr
Chelsea, AL 35043
(205) 677-0001
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