Broken Bones

[taubel]

My DS recently broke his wrist (both bones in the lower arm). He's wearing a cast now and is doing much better after his first week in the cast. I understand that this is a common place for a child to break a bone, etc., etc. 

What worries me is that this is actually the THIRD time he's had a broken bone (he's about to turn 8). His first was a tiny "green stick" fracture in his leg. It happened as he was learning to walk/pull up, when his body twisted suddenly (sort of a long story). 

Then, when he was 3, he was running across a pillow on our living room floor and somehow twisted his ankle. He ended up breaking one of the bones in the top of his foot (can't remember the name). 

Anyway, both of those breaks seemed to have healed well and have not caused any problems since. I was hoping broken bones would be a thing of the past. But now it's his wrist. 

I have voiced concerns to his ped and the ortho, who have basically just told me not to worry - kids break bones all the time. But this seems like a lot in just 7 years!

I guess what I'm wondering is whether this has happened to anyone else? And was there ever a reason for all the breaks? My DS does happen to be a very active, energetic little boy, so maybe it's just bad luck?

Thanks for reading!

[yellow73]

There is a disorder that causes weak bones called Osteogenesis Imperfecta.  When I worked as a social worker it was something we had to be aware of when investigating child abuse cases, but I've only ever seen one real case of it. It's pretty rare and it doesn't sound to me like your son has it (the case I saw had quite a few serious breaks in major bones.)  Here's a link from a quick google search I did. http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/bonesjointsmuscles/bone3443.html

[Ragana]

If I am not mistaken, this can also happen with celiac disease. Hope it is just regular kid stuff!

[Mom31]

Hugs mama.... that does seem like a lot.... I hope you find what works for you.

[taubel]

Thanks. I have been looking at OI and celiac online, and my DS does not really fit any of the profiles. But of course both of these diseases do have very mild forms. I am going to take him back to the doctor and demand that he give this more thought. 

[serenbat]

at 7 I would think you are just starting to break bones!        sports!!!

my DH was very uncoordinated and that was mainly his cause--no "sense of balance" and it just got worse as he aged

perhaps there might be a cause maybe you won't find any

if you are having healing within the prescribed time frame I don't know how willing the DR will be to "find" a cause

do hope it stops 

I don't know that they would randomly check without cause his bone density or calcium level but you could always ask.

[Peony]

I've known multiple kids that broke several bones. They were either athletic and broke bones that way or clumsy or the rough and tumble type. None had a condition just rather a series of unfortunate events! My sister broke both wrists 2 years apart, she would go been 6 and 8. 

[ALittleBitCrunchy]

I think sometimes it's just random bad luck. I tripped on the stairs at my second birthday party and broke my leg. It was my third broken bone and I was just turning two. Nothing crazy, no medical causes, just a kid that always manged to land wrong. That said, I've spent the last 36 years without a single broken bone :)  No one else in my family has ever broken a bone. Just me. That said, if you feel there is something wrong and your ped isn't hearing your concerns, perhaps you can find an orthopedist to talk to about possible causes?

[taubel]

Thanks again. It's good to know DS isn't the only one who has broken multiple bones. I will talk to his ped again. And we're trying to get DS to be a little less reckless and think before he acts, etc. 

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by taubel 

Thanks again. It's good to know DS isn't the only one who has broken multiple bones. I will talk to his ped again. And we're trying to get DS to be a little less reckless and think before he acts, etc. 

Aha! I wondered if he was a risk taker. We have neighbors who have a daughter who breaks a bone just about every other year, if they're lucky. She's had stitches a couple of times too. There's no question of child abuse -- most of these events happen right out in the open in front of all the neighborhood kids -- the latest one involved her trying to do something on a longboard skateboard. Once it was a fall from a bicycle, and once was a fall some other thing, I think. At least one of the stitches involved her running  headlong into an open cutting board when she was 3-4. That's just her style -- she tackles everything head-on and at full speed. She's an excellent athlete and a really good kid. She just leaps before she looks.

(My kids, on the other hand, look, ponder, look again, ponder some more, and then maybe think about leaping. If they have any broken bones it'll be from sheer uncoordination,)