2 Year Old with Broken Leg ... Help?!?

L.,
I read your request and wanted to let you know what to expect. I worked for a Pediatric Orthopaedic for four years. Depending on where the fracture is will determine if they place him in a short or long leg cast. The long leg cast will go from his toes up to the top of his thigh. If this is the cast he is placed in his knee will be slightly bent. This helps prevent weight bearing on their fractured leg. If they place him in a short cast it will go from his toes to just below his knee. This is more challenging as it is easier for them to walk. The good news is that the weight bearing restrictions usually last only a couple of weeks. I know that sounds bad but we never had a patient/parents that were unable to do it. Kids adapt fast. It is usually harder on parents. As the fracture heals he may get placed into a Cam Walker. Basically it's a walking boot that can be removed during baths or sometimes during sleep. When you take him to his appointment you might want to ask the orhtopaedic about Gortex. Not all Orhtopaedics offer it but if they do it is well worth it. Gortex is water proof padding. It makes bath time very easy. The cast can be completely submerged without the worries. The typical cast padding cannot get wet. I wish I could give you more specifics but it all depends on how severe the fracture is and where it is located. If you need names of Pediatric Orthopaedics let me know. The group I worked for has offices in Naperville, Oak Brook Terrace, Aurora, Lemont, and Downers Grove. Good luck and I hope this helps.

S.

Hi L. - My little girl also had a tibia fracture on her right leg about 4 months before she turned two. It was absolutely aweful at first, but got better as the weeks in the cast went on. I think the first week in the temporary cast/splint is probably the hardest. Once he gets in his permanent cast they're immobilized in such a way that there's not much he can do to hurt himself. Cate learned to walk on the cast pretty quickly. It looked a little funny and I had to remind her to slow down so she wouldn't fall, but it was great that she was mobile. I can certainly sympathize with what you're going through and wish you the best of luck!

My 2 year old just had a cast removed from her leg on Monday. She just had a toddler fraction from falling off of a chair and landing the wrong way. She got a walking cast - so she was able to put weight on it. and thankfully it was only on for three weeks. But - it was still a pain. We gave her sponge baths and washed her hair in the kitchen sink with her laying on the counter. It was AMAZING how quickly she adapted. She really was able to get around great. I think it was harder on everyone else. I really feel for you with the pregnancy - with all the lifting. My only advice is to just take it easy. Winter is a good time to stay inside and watch TV. I was just glad it didn't happen in the summer. Buy some new books, stickers, coloring books. The cast won't be on forever!! Good luck!

Oh my gosh, good luck! Lots of crafts, try to find things he hasn't done before, glue sticks, glitter paints, finger-painting, play-doh, anything that will make sitting around not so bad. Also, put him in the stroller and walk around the mall, just to get him out. Hang in there, and make sure you take all the help that you can get from friends and family!

I would start with asking for help from family,neighbor and friends. Aske them to help. Whether it be getting your mail when they get theirs or sit with your son while you go to the store. Since he is only two keeping him busy is going to be hard. I would suggest push the cartoon channels or your liable to get nothing done around the house. You many even try moving his toy box to your living room floor so he can scoot and roll around to get what he wants. He won't scoot to much because it will hurt but kids have a funny way of getting what they want if they really want it. You may even want to record his favorite cartoons during the day so he can watch them when there is nothing on he wants to watch. It's going to be rough but you will survive and so will he. Hang in there.

I also think he will adapt fairly quickly once the pain wears off and his permanent cast is on. Granted it will still probably be a pain for you, since you are pregnant. That stinks that this happened now! My daughter broke her arm this summer, and while it's probably easier dealing with a broken arm over the leg, she did really well with it and figured out how to do all the same activities she was doing before hand. One thing I can tell you about bathing...look online for something called a cast cover. It will be a thick rubber material that stretches over the cast and seals at the top so he can submerge his leg and no water will touch the cast. It works perfectly! We got one for my daughter and she bathed and swam for the rest of the summer with no problem. You will have to measure the length of his leg with the cast on to know what size to order. Good luck, I hope he recovers fast! And definately call in some favors in taking care of him so you don't hurt yourself or get too stressed.

My neighbors son had a cast on and he ended up using a Flying Turtle scooter to get around. I'm not sure if it is something a 2 year old could use, but you may want to look into it. If you go onto Amazon you can look it up and see what it looks like. It wouldn't take much of a push from his good leg to get it to go. Also as far as the casting go sometimes they put on a traditional cast first and will later change it to a cast that can be submerged in water. Good luck!

Hi L.! My Daughter was one month from turning two when she broke the same thing tripping over the dog! It was heartbreaking! She ended up with a permanent cast from her toe to right below her knee and the doctor said she would be baring wieght in no time....that turned into a week and for a mom that is a LONG TIME! :) Her cast was made of some kind of material that could get wet, sowe were luckly that baths were an option, but other than that, lots of coloring, seseme street watching and playing together. This all happened the same time my husband went back to school full time, leaving me and my daughter by ourselves to pack up our WHOLE house and move to Bloomington! Kids have perfect timeing right? :) Anyhow within a week, she was walking on her cast just fine and only had to wear it for one more week. It was like watching her learn how to walk all over again, though.

Keep your chin up, hopefully the time will pass soon!
Our daughter now LOVES to show everyone that comes over her "purple shoe" that she wore when she fell over the the dog! :)
Best of luck!

Awe, poor little guy! I didnt' have the same thing happen, but I had a 15 month old that wanted me to pick her up after I had my second csection where the incision came back open, so I couldnt lift anything heavier than the baby. I moved a stool near the couch so she could climb up and sit on my lap. Maybe this would work - he could climb up without putting weight on the broken leg. Just try to rearange furniture so that you can aleviate some of the lifting you have to do so that he is still somewhat independent. I'd get some of those disposable food mat things - they sell them sometimes at the grocery store in the baby isle. or just a tarp or a sheet and break out the playdough, finger paints, cookie decorating and get a pillow and sit next to him. That way he can keep occupied for a long time while sitting on the floor. My two year old will still sit in a shopping cart, as long as I get him a little cup with something to drink, and stop by the toy isle. Target is a great place to walk around forever - I usually put the toy back after we're done shopping, as long as he hasn't wrecked the packaging. But this is a way for me to get shopping done and keep him happy - otherwise he'd be running away for me -and in your case your son has to stay off his leg. Also, might be a good time for a long car trip! With lots of doodle pads, toys and books. Hope some of these ideas help! Good luck! He'll heal and you will definately get through this. I also like the idea of the pulling him in a sled - just be careful not to slip and fall!

I am 5 months pregnant with a 2 year old and I couldn't even imagine what you must have to deal with, let alone the thought of carrying him everywhere. Can you get some help from friends and family since you obviously shouldn't be lifting 30 pounds? I would try as many puzzles, books, blocks and stationery toys as possible. And don't feel guilty about movies. I love Sesame Street for emergencies because it's an hour and it's at least educational. Do what you need to do to take care of you both. Good luck to you and I hope you figure something out!

My brother broke his leg at the same age:( Once he gets the new cast, he will be able to walk but it will be hard and kinda funny. Many kids just learn to scoot around on their butts instead of walking. What you won't be ready for is the AWFUL smell that will develop! Every time he has an itch and you have to reach in there you will need to wash your hands. Good Luck!

A small rearranging will be needed if most of his toys are something he would need to reach for. Kids do adapt quickly once the pain factor has been taken care of. I would break out a stroller so you aren't having to carry him everywhere. Talk to the doctor about the possiblity of a walking cast if possible. I know it is a real pain in the snow to go anywhere so if snow is your obstacle you can hitch him to a sled and pull him. He'll adore it. You'll want cast socks to keep his toes warm. Baths are possible as long as the cast is covered. But in my opinion it is better to get a chair to set him on and wash him in sections.

I couldn't walk this past Feburary and it decided to snow the most when I had to go out. The sled was fun way to get to and from my apartment to the parking lot. I wished I had thought of it when my son had hurt his leg at 2 years. My son luckily only was sprained but refused to put any weight on it for a while.

I'm so sorry! This is a really trying time--and maybe a liilte emotional too--you and your poor liitle one!

I think asking for help from someone is a really a good idea--neighbor, freind, church somebody--even if you aren't at a church, call a nearby church and tell them what's gong on--people will want to serve you, in some way. Have husband pick up healthy meals, so you are taken care of too.--Entertaining the little guy is hard. Maybe read to him--Boynton books are good. Stacking things. We also play with rice and cups. We put rice in a large tupperware and he dumps and plays with cups and measuring sppons--and I've learned to put nespaper in the surrounding area fow quick clean up--because it is a huge mess. Dry beans also works.
You can make homemade playdough too--recipes on-line and maybe he can make things with that--use cookie cutters--if you can get in the car late afternoon, you can go look at Christmas lights--visit different neighborhoods each day--you may not want to go out due to your condition, but malls and museums have two-seater wagons and he could stretch out while you stretch your legs--or you can put him in a shopping cart at Target or Meijer or Walmart--sometimes we can spend the whole day there because they have fish tanks, a snack bar, movies playing on screens, and an entire "library" for my kids to look through (and I don't have to buy anything, generally, because I tell my boys that the store is letting us borrow the book for the trip and we need to give it back at the end--but meanwhile, they get to look at something we don't have at home--and I have been doing this with my almost 3 year old since he was 18 months--it works .) Just going for a drive--fo a change of scenerey, may do you both well ( again, I don't know how well he travles with a broken leg or how you have to prop him up)--and last but not least, he can bang on pots and pans while you play music ( or you can get some cheap instrumetns at the dollar store).--I really feel for you and this time. Hope the suggestion help.

Hi L.,

My niece had a broken leg around that age. Once her permanent cast was on, she ended up dragging herself across the floor when she wanted to get to a toy if no one was immediately available to help her. Kids adapt really fast.

Having said that, I can't imagine dealing with it on a daily basis and being pregnant. Ask for help from friends and family as much as you can.

Best of luck!!!!!

M.