Your child will be going home with a removable cast (sometimes referred to as a splint). A cast helps your child’s body heal by holding injured bones or joints in place. A damaged cast can keep the injury from healing well. Take good care of your child’s cast. If the cast becomes damaged, it may need to be replaced. Here's what you need to know about home care.
Make sure your child wears the removable cast according to the healthcare provider's instructions.
Clean the removable cast with soap and lukewarm water and scrub it with a small brush.
Keep the removable cast away from open flames.
Don’t expose the removable cast to heat, space heaters, or prolonged sunlight. Excessive heat will cause the removable cast to change shape.
Encourage your child to exercise all the nearby joints not kept still (immobilized) by the cast. If your child has a long leg cast, help him or her to exercise the hip joint and toes. If your child has an arm cast or splint, encourage exercise of the shoulder, elbow, thumb, and fingers. Your child should not walk until getting your healthcare provider's approval.
Raise the part of the body that is in the cast above heart level. This helps reduce swelling.
Your child may return to school, but activities such as sports should be cleared by your child's healthcare provider first.
Cast that feels too tight or too loose.