The choice of treatment according to the type and location of the fracture and the age of the child

Children injure themselves more today then they have in the past.Injuries that were sustained by older children are now occurring in younger children as a result of the new variety of sports ad equipment. In addition, children are traveling and running at higher speeds and the fractures sustained are becoming more complex. This requires a new "code of practice" to ensure children are correctly treated in every hospital. These new types of fractures are not always treated correctly; people tend to think of children as only small adults and that children's fractures always heal well. However, specific injuries to the growth plate and the joints as well as special fractures like the green stick and bowing (plastic deformation) fractures maybe assessed incorrectly in their healing behavior. In the following article, the basis of adequate fracture treatment will be explained. Factors that particularly influence the treatment include: age; weight; type of fracture, bone segment; available equipment; own experience; postoperative management; and cost effectiveness.