How to Care For a Child With a Broken Collarbone

The clavicle, or collarbone, connects the sternum, commonly known as the breastbone, to the scapula, or shoulder blade. One clavicle sits on each side of the chest, just below the neck. This bone can be broken from a trauma such as a fall, and is frequently injured in childhood. In children, collarbone injuries typically heal with three to six weeks of immobilization in a sling or a Figure 8 brace. This type of splint straps around the front of each shoulder, crosses over and under the shoulders to form an "X" or sideways Figure-8 across the upper back to keep the shoulders in a stable position. Caring for a child with a healing collarbone can be challenging.

Things You'll Need

• Sling or Figure 8 brace
• Ice
• Pain medication

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Instructions

• 1

  Manage your child's pain by applying a bag of ice over the collarbone area several times each day. Keep the ice in place for 20 minutes and allow an hour before ice is used again. Administer pain medication on a regular basis, according to the product's instructions for the first 2 to 3 days after the injury. Pain should gradually subside as the bone heals. Monitor for increased complaints of pain or any bumps that appear on the collarbone. These symptoms could indicate that the bone has shifted out of place. If this happens, notify the doctor immediately.

• 2

  Assist your child with dressing, showering and undressing to protect the healing bone. Place the arm on the injured side into the shirt first with the arm hanging down by the child's side. Do not bring the child's arm up over his head. Provide assistance with bathing to avoid use of the arm on the injured side. To remove a shirt, take the uninjured arm out first, then bring it over his head, and finally down over the injured side with the arm resting at the child's side. Put the sling or Figure 8 brace on your child immediately after he is dressed.

• 3

  Limit your child's physical activity during the healing process to prevent further injury to her collarbone. Encourage her to use her hand, and to bend and straighten her elbow to prevent these joints from tightening during the immobilization period. Assist her with shoulder exercises as instructed by the physician or rehabilitation therapist to maintain flexibility without compromising the healing bone.

• 4

  Arrange for school work to be completed at home until your child's pain is well managed. Restrict school activities like gym, recess and sports until the doctor has cleared the child to participate. Request assistance in school for carrying books, taking notes and for early release from classes to reduce her chance of being bumped in the hallway.

• 5

  Follow-up with the doctor as recommended, which is typically after 3 or 4 weeks of immobilization. The child will have another X-ray to check the healing status of the collarbone. Full activity is resumed when the bone is fully healed. Some soreness will occur, but if she complains of sharp pain, that is a sign that something could be wrong. In that case, contact the doctor.