How Broken Bones Heal for Kids

Overview

So, the doctor says you have a broken bone. We're going to have to keep your bone very still while it heals. Have you ever wondered how your body heals a broken bone? I'll show you.

After a break

As soon as you break a bone, things start to happen inside your body. First, you'll notice some changes to your skin around the break. It gets red and swollen. Why? Well, blood is rushing to the area to help heal you. And inside you, some of this blood starts to stick to the broken parts of your bone. Special cells in your blood get to work. They fight any germs in the area. They also clean up any tiny bits of broken bone they can find.

The healing process

To help the healing process, we need to keep your broken bone from moving. That's why you may get a cast, splint or something else. It holds your bone in the right place while a special healing layer forms around the break. At first, this layer is soft. But over time, new bone cells grow and harden. After several weeks, your broken bone is fully healed.

Good as new

And finally, even long after your bone has healed, your body keeps working. It slowly fixes your bone so that it looks just like it did before the break. This can take several years. But when it's done, your bone is good as new.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.