Okay, everyone I know tells me to go with my gut feeling when it comes to my children. My gut is telling me that there is something wrong with my 15 month old. But he has seen a specialist and his peds dr. says hes okay. Here is a quick history of what happened. He fell outside on the grass (was tripped by the dog), and when he woke from his nap would not walk. So I took him to his dr. and they did xrays and found nothing. Said that maybe it was sprained or bruised. He wouldn't walk for 4 days then limped for over a week. So I took him to children's hospital in Detroit knowing that they have an ortho specialist on call. He did more xrays and found a lateral fracture in his right tibia. My first thought was..well, thats just great, the poor kid has been walking around for 2 weeks with a fractured leg. They put him in a cast/boot thing for 2 weeks then pronounced him fit as a fiddle. one week later, he tripped in the driveway on a football (he is all boy!) and is limping again... so I called the specialist and got more xrays to make sure that he didn't re-fracture it. They said all is well. But he is still limping considerably. And falling all over the place. His poor little knees are bruised and scraped from falling so much. I think that the Dr.s are wrong. Should he still be in pain and limping and falling everywhere? Has anyone had this problem before? has anyone had their little one with a toddler fracture? Help please!!! What should I do?
Most parents suggested that whenever it comes to fractures and limbs, consult with multiple doctors for second or third opinions.
I agree with gut instinct. I'd find another specialist, but I couldn't begin to say what specialty. An orthopedic and pediatrician you've already done. But something definitely isn't right.
Consider also, why is he always tripping? He is only 1.5 years so that's not the strangest thing to be wobbly, but I would definitely get him off his feet and address the problem.
trust your gut but also try a chiropractor his lower back may have been knocked out of alignment from the falls I have posted this before my youngest son woke up one day when he was 4 and couldn't walk believe me the doctors had me so scared it was a terminal blood disorder. When that came back negative from the ER I took him to the chiropractor after the adjustment he could walk again. We went every week for a month then every other week for a month now he asks to go if he is feeling like he is getting close to that point again. Keep trying the specialist but also give the chiropractor a try it works for many things.
If I were you I would go to another doctor to get it checked out. You did it the ifrst time and the second one saw something maybe you need to do that again.
Good Luck,
K.
Hi L.,
Very interesting you mentioned this! I have 2 boys whom are now 4 and 2. However, when my 2 year old was 15 months, he was running with his older brother, fell, and his older brother landed on his leg. It happened while my mother was watching them, and when we returned home, he was down for a nap. When he woke up, he wouldn't touch his leg to the ground at all! My Mom mentioned the boys had fallen, but she said she thought the baby was just whiney and tired, so she put him down for a nap.
Since it was a Sunday, I took him to urgent care later that afternoon and they told me it was probably just a pulled muscle, and that they didn't see anything in the X-Ray. The next day, I too just knew something else was wrong, so I took him to our regular Pediatrician. She was very suspicious, and immediately sent us to a wonderful Orthapedic Doctor in Clarkston. He did X-Ray's and it turns out there WAS a hairline fracture on his growth plate. Though nothing was out of line and it ended up healing beautifully, I was so frustrated at the mis-diagnosis by the original Doctor's that treated him! We basically had to keep him contained for about 3 weeks, and made sure his older brother wasn't around him when they were up moving around! I have now learned that 2 boys = disaster sometimes!
If you are looking for another opinion, I had great luck with Dr. Nallamathu in Clarkston. He is young and very thorough. He didn't stop until he had an absolute diagnosis. As a Mom, that is exactly what I needed!
Hope this helps, and good luck!
S.
Hi L.,
I'm really sad to hear about your little boy. I hope he isn't in pain.
Have you considered seeking a Chiropacter? If the Dr's
have sad his bones are all right, it may be a pinched nerve.
I would like to suggest my Chiropractor, Dr. David Riffel in
Clinton Twp. Dr. Riffel has a book in his office that highlights different patients, even babies, toddlers to grown adults that have been helped by Chiropractic adjustments. I can testify how it has helped me. It is amazing.
Dr. Riffel's phone number is ###-###-####. Hope this
helps. Of, course, prayer helps too. I'll be praying. K.
I would take my child to another dr/ hospital for another round of xrays - possible that the leg/ body was too swollen at that time to see any fracture or break.
ALWAYS go with your gut! YOU KNOW when you or your child isn't "right". Keep going....you need to find out what the problem is and I'll bet anything you find it. Good Luck and God Bless.
I say go with your gut!! If you think there is something that's not right, go back and ask more questions. My experience with this...when my eldest was 4 months old I noticed her left leg was turning out more than her right leg. she also cried CONSTANTLY. At her 4 month check up I asked the Dr. about it and he pooh-poohed me, of course. I asked, then demanded a hip x-ray and lo and behold my perfect baby had a congenital dislocated hip. She had to be in a brace for the next 9 months, she stopped crying when the brace went on. It was all fine...BUT had I not demanded some answers, she would have had quite a different childhood. The other thing you might look into is the fact that he falls alot. All toddlers fall alot, but you have older children so you would know if it's more than normal. Maybe he has an inner ear issue and doesn't have good balance. Anyway...I say go with your gut!!
when my younger son broke his arm at 2 they told me nothing was worng. took him back 2 days later and sure enough it was broken. hair line fractures don't show up until any where from a day to a week later. I would take him back in and let the doctors know he is still limping and not walking right.
I would always go with my personal instinct when it comes to my kids. you knew something was wrong and your persistence proved to be an asset to your child's health. good for you.
doctors are only in the room with your child for a matter of moments and in some cases they hardly pay attention to your ?'s and problems. But in your case you have done whats best and x-ray-ed your son againat the same hospital that specializes in children! if they say nothings wrong I would take that is the case. But make sure you document the dates your child symptoms started and how they have changed and what caused them. that way if they persist you have all accurate and organized info to hand the doctors!
Maybe your sons limping is a learned habit. maybe the leg is still sore especially since he is falling on it . maybe just the prior accident and cast with limping and now the soreness from falling is in the same area sounds like a habit he will grow out of when the memory of his cast is not so fresh in his mind!
My toddler fractured his arm by climbing out of his crib this summer. It was a buckle fracture, where the bone bends and splits like a green branch (also called a greenstick fracture). He healed in 2.5 weeks and the repeat xray actually showed the new bone layer that grew over the old fracture. I didn't even know it was broken for about 36 hours...no swelling, bruising or redness...he didn't even favor it until he fell on it later. When he started to hold on to his wrist with the other hand my gut told me something was wrong. A second opinion never hurts! At least you'll know!
Remember; doctors aren't magic...they can only go by what you report to them and what the xrays show. If there is a minor tear somewhere it won't necessarily show up, so you have to be sure to communicate to the doc what your child's behavior/symptoms are. Otherwise they may not be able to make an accurate diagnosis...they are human, too!
~L.
Hi L.---I had the very same experience with my daughter 23 years ago. I dropped her when taking her from my husband in the shower. Just lost her in the towel. She acted like she hurt her arm but the ER was more concerned about the bump on her head. She was using the arm so they felt it couldn't be broken. Well, after 2 doctor visits (an ear infection was diagnosed at the last visit, still told it couldn't be the arm) and a second trip to the ER a week after the injury and the day after the second Dr visit, they finally found what they called a 'green stick' fracture. The bone hadn't broken all the way through, but it was definitely damaged. Two weeks in a removeable brace and she was fine.
You know your little boy. I think I would put his boot back on and see if that helps. He may not have broken it again, but the wound is most likely vulnerable. See if it improves with the boot. If not, go right back to the doc and have him verify his previous findings. Good luck, D.
L.,
Hello. I agree with you something does not seem right. Get a second opinion. Check with U of M Ann Arbor Childrens. Document your observation each day and take it with you.
Always go with your gut!!!
L.
It does sound like a buckle fracture - my sister is a pediatrician, and her 19 month old son had one in his fibula after missing a step. It barely showed up on the x-ray, and they didn't even cast it - they said he'd put as much pressure on it as he could. I can imagine that b/c the tibia bears more weight than the fibula, that's why your son was put in the cast/boot. My nephew started to walk on his leg (with a limp) 4 days later, and is still limping (it's been a couple of weeks now). So, I'm not sure your son re-fractured it with his second fall (have you gotten a second opinion?), but I think the limping is still part of the healing, so it could go either way. Good Luck!
Wow - too bad for the little guy. Not sure what is going on but trust your gut instincts. I once worked with a lady whose little girl was doing the same thing. To make a long story short - she ended up having some sort of muscular dystrophy. Had she not stuck to her gut instincts - I can't imagine how long she would have been falling down and getting hurt before they figured it out. On the other hand - your little one is at the age where they fall alot - bumps and bruises are the norm. If you think it is something more - advocate on his behalf. Good luck!
Don't discount your gut feeling...you see him everyday, and no doubt know him better than anyone. How long has he been walking? Long enough that he had it down perfect? or was/is he still learning? I ask because a friend of mine's little boy had something called gidian's or gillian's beret...sorry I am not sure of the spelling. But he was only 4, and he started tripping all over the place, and it got worse and worse...it is a nerve disorder that spread through his whole body. I am not trying to scare you, just wanted you to know it is out there. BUT, if he hasn't mastered walking yet, I'm SURE it doesn't pertain to him. I also know that sometimes children will hurt themselves, and keep limping and then once it heals, they have limped so long that it shrinks the tendons or ligaments, so then they can't help it, and it requires a brace or casting to fix this subsequent problem. I hope it is neither, but be persistant with the doctor to take another look. Like I said, you know him best, and if there is one thing I've learned as a mommy, it is to TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT. That first instinct is usually the right one. Good luck to you!
