How many days off school.....

[veggielover]

for my 5 year old who fractured her arm in 4 places yesterday??? Hospital said she could go back tomorrow but she is struggling to do the basics, like going to loo, eating........ and she forgets that she is in plaster! Any advice much appreciated.

[janeyo]

Are there any TAs in the class? They should be able to help her go to the loo and wash her hands etc. Can you go in and be helper so she has someone on hand as well? Or can she go in part time for a few days?

I would have thought a couple of days off to get used to it all, they don't do much at school she can't catch with at that age.

Poor thing, hope she heals ok.

[bobleponge]

I would certainly be leaving it longer than a day.
My daughter broke her arm when she was younger (long time ago) and I cant remember exactly how long she had off, but I do seem to recall she had got used to having her cast etc, and could manage to do simple things for herself.
She may well still be in a bit of shock as well the poor wee mite.
Hope she feels better soon.

[Incy]

I'd keep her off at least a week. She's only little so it's not as though she will miss anything important especially at this time of year.
The doc said similar when my son broke his fingers, I kept him off anyway for the same reasons. He couldn't do anything so it seemed rather pointless sending him in.

[veggielover]

She has trip on friday..... and she is so desperate to go, but i will be allowed to go too to assist her, might keep her off till then.

[Nicos]

I'd keep her off till Monday...good excuse for spending a bit of time with her..lots of cuddles for you both- and she can help a bit round the house- and nip to the shops with it- and show the plaster off to her friends..perhaps they can draw on the plaster for her????

You'll need to keep an eye on the fingers anyway for the first day or so to make sure the plaster isn't too tight.
Is it her writing hand????Perhaps she can draw piccies of her exciting trip to the Hospital yesterday to show her friends that it's not such a scarey place after all!!

[zazen999]

Blimey, that's a bit harsh - back to school a day later at 5.

September would be my stance on this - as it is so close to the end of the year, perhaps just take her in for parties and stuff.

[pdblake]

I'm afraid I'm more of 'get on with it' kind of person I'd send her back tomorrow. If the docs didn't think she'd be alright they wouldn't have said to send her back. She'll soon get used to having a cast on.

[MaureenHall]

Send her back when she wants to go back and definitely for the school trip! Hope she feels better soon

[Pumpkin Becki]

I think GPs are more cautious than hospitals. When I broke my foot in 07, the hospital said I'd be fine to go back to work in a week, but my GP ended up signing me off for 2 months in total.

As a teenager, I fell off a couple of horses and broke both arms (seperate occasions I hasten to add). I'm sure I spent at least a week at home - shock can take a while to kick in, let alone getting used to being in plaster. My class mates (boys) also enjoyed thumping me in the arm to see if it was really broken (I didn't have a cast for my first one, the hospital said gravity would do the trick). Kids can be boisterous even if they don't mean to be.

Hope she's not feeling too sore.

[zazen999]

I'm all for getting on with it, but the pain I had when I smashed my elbow was white intense and I was in no way able to be up and about - no matter how much I tried. 4 fractures in one arm, she must be pretty sore.

Plus you heal quicker if you are able to snooze and paddle about the house eating soup.

[veggielover]

She is dosed up on calpol... but still sore. Choccies seem to help though!! I couldn't believe it when they said she had 4 fractures as she was playing in the waiting room with just the occsional wince and she was putting pressure on the arm, though probably unintentional..... it was very swollen so i thought maybe a bad sprain, radiographer took the shots needed then told us to wait in waiting room, 2 mins later he called us back in to do the xrays again, he showed us 1 of the fractures, the other 3 showed up on the second lot of xrays. It looks like my girl has a very high pain threshold!!!!

[jackie j]

Poor girl keep her at home but take her in for the trip on friday as you will be going on the trip as well. You will need to keep the calpol doses up for a few days anyway and its easier for you to give them to her.
Hope she feels better soon.

[jaykay]

You might need to ask the school if they are happy for her to return whilst wearing a cast. I think a school can say no - my daughter needed a letter from the hospital to say that she was fit to return to school (but her leg was in a full leg cast).

[miffy]

Keep her off until the trip as you will then be going in with her then. I would speak to her class teacher re any support she may have in class as it would depend on any T.A support being available, school policy and most importantly how safe it would be. With the best will in the world small children are not always the most co ordinated and they can be clumsy, you don't want her having her arm bumped into or falling over.
It would be sad for her not to finish the year and say goodbye to her class teacher, could she go in part time, am perhaps. Best of luck.