Broken Collar bone in 5yr old - resuming physical activity

[Alison's Mom]

My 5yr DD was climbing on our couch 2 days ago, and instead of landing on her feet, landed on her shoulder. She was screaming and said she couldn't move her arm, so we went to the ER, they did an xray and said she had a broken collar bone. The Dr there said not to worry, it's really common in kids, it heals nicely and quickly, and she should be painfree in 4 days or so. I totally forgot to ask him how long we should wait until she can ride her bike, play at the jungle gym, do swimming lessons, gymnastics classes, etc. I phoned the Nurse Line this morning to ask and she said based on the info I gave, she would give it a month to heal before doing anything physical like that which could exacerbate the injury, or cause her to fall onto an outstretched hand, etc. She said then at the end of the month, I should go see my GP to have him examine.

Anyone else have experience with this? A friend said she when she broke hers as an adult, she was told 3 months, but I think it is totally different with kids.

[Bethla]

My son was 5 and fell from the top of the bunkbed because he was trying to reach out and put a stuffed animal on one of the ceiling fan blades. He also fractured his clavicle. I believe we were told 6 wks. to avoid activity. It was hard keeping him in a sling and he absolutely refused to let me immobilize it. I sort of gave up avoiding activity with him. I just didn't allow him to climb on anything. He's 13 now!

[Alison's Mom]

Thanks. 6 weeks. . .. hmmmm. I think that means gymnastics and bike camp are out, but possibly swimming at the end of the summer. It's also a beginner's swimming class, so more about blowing bubbles and floating than actual strokes. Thanks.

[kjbrown92]

My 18 month old fell and broke her collarbone. She paused for a couple hours, then resumed climbing up bunk beds and everything else. The nurse next door said she looked fine (felt around). Two weeks later she had a huge knot on her collarbone, I took her to the doctor, and said it looked like it had broken and was already healing. There was no pause in activities for her!

[Peony]

DD2 broke hers when she was 2. I keep her quiet for a month, no open gym, gymnastics, etc... She didn't use it in the beginning, her arm just hung at her side but as time went on she slowly started using it it more. We went in for an x-ray between 5-6 weeks, I can't remember now, and it was almost healed and then we resumed our normal activities.

[Alison's Mom]

Thanks!

She seems OK, and can lift it a little higher each day without pain, although yesterday she was sitting on the floor and then went to use that arm to help get herself up and it hurt. A physio friend said gymnastics this month is out, but bike camp next month (5.5 weeks after the injury) should be fine, and swimming is definitely OK, as it's not the movement that's bad, but more the possibility of falling onto it, or pressure/resistence.

[eclipse]

I broke my collar bone at around that age (I think I was four) and I remember it being at least a month before I felt up to doing all of my regular stuff, let alone things like dance class and gymnastics. I remember my break as being very, very painful though - I couldn't even sleep laying down for a few weeks, because I was in too much pain.

[Alison's Mom]

Thanks eclipse. I think hers must not be as serious as yours, though, because I was worried about her sleeping and she slept no problem starting the first night, and now, 6 days later, can lift her arm above shoulder height without pain (voluntarily showing us, not with us asking her to).