About your visit

Your child has broken their leg, and we have placed the leg in a plaster splint to stabilise and support the leg while the fracture heals. We have given you a pair of crutches that your child must use to walk or stand. Your child must not put any weight on the leg. 

When you get home

Contact your general practitioner if your child’s condition deteriorates

Call your child’s general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours if:

• your child’s toes become pale, cold and numb
• your child’s toes begin to feel numb and tingly
• the cast feels too tight or begins to chafe
• the cast cracks
• the cast gets wet or becomes loose
• pain increases.

Give your child pain-relieving medicine, if necessary

You can give your child pain-relieving medicine if they are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine for children can be bought over the counter. Only give the child the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package. 

Protect the cast when bathing

We recommend that the cast be covered in a plastic bag when the child bathes, to avoid getting the cast wet. Make sure the top of the bag is closely sealed.

The cast can cause irritation

Children in casts will often experience the following:

• Sweating and itching under the cast. 
• Blood accumulation or bruises that spread to the toes. These symptoms will disappear without treatment.

If the cast has sharp edges that causes irritation, call the medical hotline at 1813. 

Avoid inserting objects to relieve itching

Do not insert objects, such as a knitting needle, into the cast to relieve itching. You risk damaging the skin and causing sores.

Child should keep the foot elevated and wiggle their toes

The foot must be placed higher than the heart when the child is lying down. The child should wiggle their toes often to reduce the risk of swelling. Make sure you child sleeps with their leg elevated.

Adjust the crutches

The crutches must be adjusted so they fit the child’s height. Crutches have the correct height when the child can hold onto the crutches with a straight back, relaxed shoulders, and their arms fall to their side with a slight bend at the elbow.

Remember to adjust the crutches again after the cast is removed. Your child’s back may begin to ache if the crutches are too low. If the crutches are too high, their neck and shoulders may begin to ache.

Check-ups

Your child will be called in for a check up to make sure the fracture is healing correctly. We will call you about the time and place or notify you by digital post or by mail. 

Return the crutches after use

When the crutches are no longer needed, please return them to: 

Frederiksberg Hospital
Emergency department
Telephone: (+45) 38 16 35 24, all days between 09.00 and 21.00.

Worth knowing

Check your child’s medical journal 

You can ask for a copy of your child’s medical journal before you leave the hospital. 

You can access all the information registered about your child by the public health services on www.sundhed.dk (in Danish only). You must fill out a power of attorney at the hospital in order to access your child's medical journal. Contact us if you did not fill out a power of attorney before leaving the hospital. 

Your child’s personal data

The Capital Region of Denmark uses the personal data you share with us when you make an enquiry. You can read more about how we use data and the rights of your child on our website: www.regionh.dk/hp9