Understanding Sprains and Injuries in Babies

‘Go and play, honey!’
Words commonly uttered nonchalantly, by every parent to their baby or toddler.
What is largely unseen here, is the fact that there is a tremendous amount of ‘faith’ underlying these words.
Faith that our children will be ‘all right’ when they play.
Or, in other words, ‘injury-free’!

That being said, Toddler Injuries like a sprained ankle or wrist, are not all that common. Sprains tend to occur a lot more in the case of older kids. Needless to say, toddlers and even babies, are prone to injuries, sprains included..

In this article we will take a closer look at Toddler Injuries, with a focus on those Sprains, that sometimes affect even the youngest of children.

Let’s begin, with a finer understanding of what ‘sprains’ really are.

Sprains: Decoding Them

When one thinks ‘Sprains’, they often confuse the term with other injuries, like ‘Fractures.’

In fact, there are two kinds of injuries that can happen in younger children, namely the following.

Sprains

The sudden Stretching, Twisting or even Tearing of a ligament is what causes the injury commonly known as a ‘Sprain.’ That Toddler Sprained Ankle or Toddler Sprained Wrist, are some of the common sprains that can occur in younger children.

Examples: If your child gets hit somehow, or even falls down, they could well be prone to a sprain.

Strains

This kind of injury results from a muscle being stretched ‘beyond reasonable limits.’ Yes, our body is a fine machine, but even the best of machines falter!

Examples: Strains commonly result in activities that require ‘repeated’ movements.

Sprains: The Signs

You might have a general idea of what a Sprain is, but how might one exactly pinpoint it, to be sure it’s a Sprain and not something else? Like a Strain?

Here’s what to look out for, before arriving to the conclusion that your baby or toddler might indeed be afflicted with a Sprain.

Terrible pain that results in uncontrolled crying.
Having a limp.
Not being able to bear one’s weight easily.
Bruising or swelling around the affected area.
Redness around the affected area.

Note: Things might seem a bit dicey, where it comes to establishing the fact that it might indeed be a Sprain and not the more dreaded ‘Fracture.’ This most likely happens, when the child refuses to bend the joint that appears to be causing them trauma.

Sprains: The Diagnosis

Of course, it’s only natural that you might wish to seek the advice of your healthcare provider, to figure out if your child really does have a Sprain. In all probability, they will be able to arrive at a conclusion with the help of a routine Physical Exam.

However, sometimes the following might be needed, in addition to that physical exam, to determine if the injury is indeed a Sprain.

X-Rays
MRI
CT Scan

Sprains: The Treatment

What does one do, if their little one has been diagnosed a Sprain in a particular joint?
Luckily, there’s plenty! Like the following:

R.I.C.E.

No, this does not entail feeding them Rice! Instead, it involves partaking in the following activities, that must be performed for at least 48 hours after the injury.

Rest.

There’s quite simply no better remedy, than merely letting the affected joint rest.

Ice.

Children will delight in having that cold compress placed against their injury, to ease their pain. It’s good they enjoy it, because you will need to do this at least four times a day!

Compression.

You might give your child the best ‘emotional support’, but there’s another kind of support they need, too. Namely, wrapping the affected area with an ‘Elastic Compression Bandage.’

Elevation.

You might want to elevate the area that is injured, to help it heal faster.

Acetaminophen

All of us have happily popped a ‘Crocin’ or ‘Dolo’, in times when we had fever. Luckily, these medicines that contain Acetaminophen, are also effective in the treatment of Pain. Further, they will help reduce the Swelling in the affected area, like for instance in the case of that Baby Wrist Injury.

Note: You want to be ‘sparing’ where it comes to the use of any kind of medicines, especially so in the case of younger kids. Ensure you to talk to your healthcare provider, to see how much Acetaminophen you can give your baby or toddler.

Sprains: How long you should rest them

While you might be doing everything you can to treat that sprain, it’s pertinent to ensure your child does not aggravate that injury.

Here are the things you need to bear in mind, before uttering that phrase ‘Go and play, honey’, yet again!

Your doctor gives them the green signal.
The swelling subsides completely.
They don’t appear to have any sort of limp, when they exercise the join that had been afflicted with the injury.
There is no longer any difficulty in moving the affected area.
There is no longer any pain.

Injuries in Babies: Baby Head Injury
Sprains are not the only thing we need to be concerned about, in the case of our babies. Head injuries in babies can happen just about any time, too.

We all know just how dangerous it can be when someone old in our family falls down and hits their head. Luckily, Baby Head Injuries are mostly relegated to ‘minor bumps’, that are in all probability harmless.

There are, however, instances when you clearly need to take your baby to the emergency room, like the following.

They have a cut on their head that refuses to stop bleeding.
The swelling is unnatural.
They lose their consciousness.
There is blood coming out from their ears or nose.
They have trouble breathing.

At EuroKids we know just how distressing it can be for parents, when they discover that their child has succumbed to an injury, like a Sprain or perhaps even, a Head Injury. That being said, in most cases, your children will bounce back from their injuries. Injuries that will only serve to make them