Traumatology and child orthopaedics treat injuries and musculoskeletal disorders in children and teenagers. Making the process unique due to the fact that we are dealing with bodies that are still evolving.
Therefore we can not treat a deformity or fracture, in the same way in adults and children or teenagers. This is the reason, why traumatological injuries or orthopedic defects must be addressed by specialists.
Before continuing with the differences of these diseases, between adults and children. Regarding how they should be treated, the most frequent cases or types of treatments available. Do you know what is the difference between traumatology and orthopaedics?
The differences between Traumatology and Orthopaedics?
If you already know what the differences are, our apologise. We will keep it fairly concise. So, traumatology and child orthopaedics differ in the following:
- One is responsible for the pathologies associated with fractures or strains (child traumatology).
- The second is responsible for deformities and bone diseases (child orthopaedic).
These are basically the differences between both types of pathologies. Pretty brief, right? Well, as to what each type of disease is, how it can be treated or what are the most frequent pathologies. We answer in the following lines.
What are the most frequent injuries in traumatology and child orthopaedics?
The most frequent examples of child orthopaedics, are, among others:
- Feet deformities
- Walking alterations
- Hip dysplasia
These problems can be hereditary, congenital or acquired.
At the same time in traumatology, the most frequent injuries are those related to the practice of sports, these are:
- Sprains (ankle, knee)
- Fractures (arms and legs)
- Bruises (bruise)
Let’s look more closely at the types of injuries and the importance of early diagnosis when treating infants. This is so important because, receiving treatment on time prevents future complications and a faster recovery.
Unlike adults, children may have problems in their adulthood, because they didn’t follow the specialist’s instructions. This is due to the aforementioned, developing bodies.
Pathologies treated by Traumatology and child Orthopaedic specialists
The pathologies treated by a child orthopaedist focuses on the following:
- Deformities | Spine – Hypercifosis (bowing of the back) and Scoliosis (lateral progressive deviation) | Arms or legs – knees poles (outwards) or valgus knees (inwards) | In the locomotor system as a consequence of neuromuscular, metabolic diseases | Of the feet (flat foot or foot dig)
- Walking | Alterations (difference in length of lower limbs) | Angular (of lower limbs)
- Hip dysplasia
Pathologies treated by a child traumatologist focuses on the following:
Fractures of ankle, wrist, arm, tibia | Epiphysiolysis or fracture of the growth cartilage (physis) | Sprains of ankle, wrist, knee, elbow | Dislocations or displacement of joints | Muscle fiber breakage or elongation (intense muscle fatigue or severe trauma) | Bruising or muscle hits the bone and there is a small break | Contusions same causes as a bruise but more serious | Tendinitis – tendon injury (inflammation of the tendon)
These pathologies are also frequent in adults. Therefore, the treatment of this type of injury is the same in adults, children and adolescents. Right? NO.
At the beginning of this article we indicated the need to proceed with a different treatment than that of an adult. The developing body of a kid is an alien body compared to an adult’s one. It has more bones, it’s in constant movement (growth), its skin is thinner, its bones are more malleable, shall I continuel?
These and other reasons, which I do not think are necessary to list. Are the ones that make kid injuries or traumatological defects. To be approached by specialists, as a child orthopedist. Want to know more?
What types of treatments exist for these pathologies?
Specialists in traumatology and child orthopaedics use the following treatments regularly:
Suitable infant footwear – this means that the foot can continue its function normally. For this, the characteristics of the footwear must be: Flexible Flat Adapted without compressing the foot | Friction of the midsole, preventing sliding or blocking | Adaptive appearance for the child | Acceptable cost for parents
To this we can add a special footwear or the adaptation of foot supports (templates), special protections or heels. These types of treatments are generally used in orthopaedics.
The following treatments are common in both specialties:
- Physiotherapy – methods of physical treatments that involve, among others: manipulations, exercises, positioning, stimulation or massage. All always supervised by a physiotherapy professional. Which will put into practice what the medical rehabilitator has indicated.
- Orthoses – are what we commonly call, cast or ankle braces. The technical term would be, external device used to control the alignment, facilitate the function, correct deformities and provide protection (splints, brackets and corsets).
- Surgery – this form of treatment in pediatric orthopedics, is used as a last resort. When the previous methods have not been successful or have not been treated since the negative result was known in advance.
It is good to know that all pediatric surgeries require a special preparation by the child and full collaboration on the part of his/her parents or guardians. This type of backup is essential to keep everything on the right track.
It will also be useful if things do not go as planned; it will produce a glue effect between the parties. Together we are stronger. We continue with preventive treatments.
Are there any preventive treatments?
As we have seen in this article, pediatric traumatology and orthopedics are quite different. Traumatology in children is unpredictable, since part of the human process of learning is to fall.
Therefore, the types of preventions that can be done in this type of situations, is to approach this phase as safely as possible. If the child is going to ride a bike, the helmet is essential, if we can also put knee and elbow pads; better.
On the orthopaedic side, many of the cases are genetic or generative. Therefore these pathologies can only be attacked preventively. By this we mean that, we have to take all the information possible. In turn we need to have:
A trusted medical specialist team that has followed the child’s history from the beginning. Knowing the symptoms presented and what were the improvements due to.
On behalf of parents and family members, their preventive work should be:
To make sure that there are no family members with this type of pathology. If there are, the duty of the parents will be to bring to the trusted medical specialists all the information to up date him. Helping the specialist to make the most beneficial decisions for the future baby with all weapons possible.
Concluding with this article related to traumatology and child orthopaedics and its singularities. In which we have tried to offer you an overview of what this type of diseases entail in children and teenagers.
We closed the doors, today with a little information related to the summer season in which we are now. A few notes of prevention that we understand can come in handy.
During the summer, locomotor accidents increase
As a general rule and due to common sense, during the summer injuries in children are usually more common. This is due to the situation in which children are involved during these summer holidays. A time of the year indicated, to be outdoors and practice sports.
Which means, medically speaking, they are more exposed to falling, contusions or sprains. By this, we do not mean to say that children should not practice sports, on the contrary, physical exercise is essential for their proper development.
This puts us in a surveillance situation and ready, in case there is an accident of this type. If you agree, the best thing to do is to consult with your doctor, he will be the one to recommend the best options.
Without further ado, we leave you hoping that what has been written above, has been helpful for this summer that is already here and for the rest of the year. Since injuries and falls are part of the growth process of children and in many cases of the elderly as well.
