How can you tell if your child has a clavicle fracture? Clavicle fracture in newborns as a result of birth trauma

The clavicle is a paired bone in the human body. During childbirth, the right clavicular bone is most often injured, which is associated with the peculiarities of the position of the child during his birth. There are several immediate reasons that can lead to disruption of the integrity of this bone:

Too much pressure from the female pelvis on the baby during childbirth. This becomes possible in the event of a discrepancy between the size of the fetus and the pelvis of its mother.
Anatomically incorrect position of the child during childbirth also leads to excessive compression of the clavicle bone and increases the risk of injury. This happens during rapid labor, when the baby does not have time to make all the necessary turns and take the correct position, as well as when the fetus is presented incorrectly (gluteal, leg, facial, transverse).
Mechanical damage due to manual and instrumental methods of obstetrics. In the case of complicated births, so-called obstetric aids are often used, the purpose of which is to facilitate the birth of the child. For example, if a baby's shoulders get stuck during labor, the doctor may manually cut the collarbone so that the baby can be born.
A genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta can also cause bone damage in a newborn.

To summarize the above, risk factors for damage to the clavicular bone in a newborn are:

narrow pelvis of the woman in labor and large fetus;
childbirth with complications;
dystocia (stuck) shoulders during childbirth;
genetic abnormalities in the child.

There are several reasons, in addition to the main ones described above, it is necessary to consider them in more detail.

The first reason can be a rapid birth, during which the child does not have time to make all the necessary turns in the pelvic cavity, and the birth canal additionally compresses it from the outside.

If a woman has a narrow pelvis, then even a normal-sized child runs the risk of not only getting a fracture, but also serious complications. But there is such a thing as a clinically narrow pelvis, when the size of a woman’s pelvis is normal, but the weight of the fetus itself and its size do not allow it to be born normally.

A fracture can be caused by using instruments to assist in childbirth or certain manipulations. A fracture can occur when the baby's shoulders or body rotates.

The cause may also be presentation, when the baby is positioned in the pelvic cavity with the buttocks or legs forward. It is these parts of the body that are born first; they pass through the birth canal easily, but the head and shoulders are much more difficult, which leads to fractures.

With transverse presentation, a fracture is also possible, but normal childbirth is impossible.

The clavicle bone is a tubular bone. On one side it connects with the sternum, and on the other with the process of the scapula. Depending on the type of damage, the broken part may be displaced. This happens under the weight of the muscles.

Most often, during childbirth, the collarbone does not break completely, but is slightly broken and remains in this slightly bent state. In this case, the second clavicle remains intact - it is held in place by the periosteum. Such an injury does not cause bone displacement, and if this happens, it is insignificant.

If a bone breaks, the periosteum still holds it in place and prevents the bone from moving. Displaced fractures rarely occur in newborns.

The causes of a clavicular fracture in a newly born child may be the following:

rapid birth - the baby is not able to perform all the necessary physiological actions in a short period of time, so it takes an incorrect position before leaving the birth canal;
the doctor used a manual method or special tools to turn the child over;
the fetus has a weight that does not correspond to the narrow pelvis of the woman in labor;
The presentation of the fetus during childbirth is incorrect.

When a clavicle is fractured, a newborn baby may experience the following symptoms:

hematoma, sometimes not very noticeable;
upon palpation, you can feel a slight crunch and crackling sound at the site of the bruise;
swelling – in case of damage to deep tissues;
deformation of the place where there is damage;
Sometimes hand movement is slightly impaired.

Signs of a fracture may also manifest themselves in the child’s poor appetite. The baby refuses to breastfeed.

As a result, he does not gain the required weight. Immunity may decrease, so there is a risk of contracting any infection.

Such injuries in children most often pass without consequences. If a sick child receives professional treatment, the fracture will not have a negative impact on the musculoskeletal system in the future.

The doctor diagnoses the disease immediately after examination. But to confirm the injury, x-rays are additionally prescribed.

A clavicle fracture in newborns occurs due to:

Rapid birth - the fetus does not have time to take a position that allows it to pass through the birth canal without problems.
Incorrectly performed manual or instrument-assisted inversion of a fetus moving toward the birth canal.
Narrow internal pelvis of a woman in labor.
The size of the fetus does not correspond to the size of the birth canal formed by the pelvic bones and measured by the distance between them.
Breech presentation of the baby during childbirth. Anatomically correct, the position is “head down”, and during childbirth, the bones of the skull should take on the main load for the unhindered advancement of the baby.
Brittle bones in a newborn, which is a serious genetic disease.

A fracture of the collarbone in a baby occurs due to the softness of bone tissue, which can quickly recover after birth trauma.

There are quite a lot of factors contributing to a fracture of the collarbone in an infant, which is why this birth injury has become so widespread. There are several main reasons:

Rapid birth. The baby simply does not have time to roll over and comes out in the wrong position;
Inversion of the fetus by artificial means;
Dissonance between the size of a woman’s pelvis and the child’s head;
Osteogenesis imperfecta refers to genetic pathologies.

Doctors note several cases that result in a collarbone fracture.

First of all, this is a rapid birth. The child simply does not have time to make the necessary turn and is born through a rather narrow exit.

Another reason is a woman’s narrow pelvis or large fetus. After the head is born, the shoulders get stuck - and the baby cannot move further along the birth canal. This phenomenon is called shoulder dystocia. Doctors are forced to dissect the collarbone themselves.

A common cause of fracture is the use of instrumental or manual assistance during fetal rotation or shoulder abduction.

Similar fractures also occur in children born from transverse, breech or leg presentation.

Classification

If a newborn child has a broken collarbone, the fracture can be of several types:

With a closed fracture, the skin and muscle tissue remain intact, bone fragments are located inside;
During an open fracture, skin damage occurs, and a cat fragment is visible from the wound;
If displacement does not occur, then the bone fragments occupy a physiological position;
When the clavicle is fractured with displacement, the bone fragments move away from each other due to the contractility of the muscle tissue.

Signs of a clavicular fracture

Diagnosis of this injury in a newborn is not difficult and is based on the presence of the following signs:

change in the general condition of the baby: restlessness and crying (especially during swaddling or bathing), refusal to eat and weight loss;
there may be slight bruising and swelling in the collarbone area;
limited movement of the arm on the side of the fracture, in more severe cases – pseudoparalysis of the arm;
When palpated, a pathological location of the clavicular bone is felt, and a slight cracking sound may be heard.

In rare cases, a clavicle fracture is diagnosed only at the stage of callus formation, that is, several days or even weeks after the injury. Therefore, if you suspect this pathology, you should contact a pediatric surgeon.

The most informative diagnostic method is radiography.

A hemorrhage or hematoma forms at the site of the fracture, and upon palpating the bone, you can hear a characteristic crunch, crackling or crepitation.

Sometimes a non-displaced fracture can be detected several days later. Babies may refuse the breast without getting enough milk, causing them to lose significant weight. As a result, the body's resistance decreases and other diseases may develop.

A complete clavicle fracture is diagnosed immediately after birth. A small hematoma is observed at the site of injury. You may notice cracking or swelling upon palpation, but at the same time there are no disturbances in the movement of the hand.

A clavicle fracture is not always diagnosed immediately; sometimes this happens within a couple of days or more. The baby may refuse breast milk and may therefore lose weight.

A complete clavicle fracture is diagnosed instantly. A small hematoma will be visible at the site of injury.

Sometimes, a fracture is diagnosed at the stage of callus formation. With more severe damage, soft tissue swelling occurs. As a result of displacement of fragments, deformation of the clavicle occurs. There is limited movement of the arm on the side where the injury is. Also, the displacement of the collarbone is visible.

Symptoms of a collarbone injury

Signs of fractures:

Restless crying of the baby when light pressure is applied to the broken clavicle bone.
There is no bulge in the fossa above the collarbone.
Swelling and hematoma of soft tissues in the damaged area.
Characteristic sounds when moving the upper limbs.
In some cases, restrictions in hand movements and the appearance of callus.

If you notice at least one of the listed signs, you must immediately report them to a specialist who, using a visual examination or x-ray, will establish the correct diagnosis.

Usually a clavicle fracture is detected immediately. After examining the baby, the neonatologist makes a diagnosis based on the following criteria:

swelling and redness at the fracture site;
when palpated, a crunching sound is heard in the damaged bone;
movements of the handles differ in activity;
When pressure is applied to the shoulder, the baby cries.

Sometimes the injury cannot be diagnosed immediately, then after about a week parents can feel a callus at the site of the fracture. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnosis of clavicle fracture in newborns

This injury has pronounced specific symptoms, so it is quite easy to identify it in an infant. If there is any doubt, an additional x-ray is prescribed. The main thing is to notice violations before the appearance of bone callus, in order to exclude the possibility of improper bone fusion.

Treatment

As a rule, treatment of this injury in newborns does not require surgical intervention and is conservative.

The affected arm is tightly bandaged to the body for 5-7 days. Plastering of newborns is not practiced.

Important: you need to make sure that when bandaging the hand, a small soft cushion is placed in the baby’s armpit, and that while wearing the bandage, the child’s fingers do not turn blue - this means that the bandage is too tight.

If there is a hematoma in the clavicle area, Traumeel S ointment is prescribed, which has an analgesic and anti-edematous effect.

Important: the ointment is applied not only at the site of injury, but also towards the back of the neck and shoulder blade.

In the presence of severe pain, analgesics are administered intravenously.

Important: if the child’s pain is so severe that it requires the administration of painkillers, this indicates the severity of the injury - it may be necessary to seek repeated consultation with a surgeon to exclude the development of complications.

Physiotherapy is very effective both at the stage of treatment and at the stage of rehabilitation of a child with a broken collarbone. Electrophoresis, magnetic therapy of the injured area, and physical therapy (performing gentle bending and bending of the child’s arm) are used.

Important: performing physical therapy exercises must be approved by a doctor.

As a rule, with a competent approach to treatment, the fracture heals within one and a half to two weeks and does not leave undesirable consequences in the form of:

the addition of a secondary infection in a complicated or late diagnosed fracture;
formation of a false joint on the collarbone;
damage to nerves and blood vessels.

Despite the fact that a timely identified fracture of the clavicle in a newborn heals quickly, it is necessary for parents to ensure a competent rehabilitation period for 2-3 weeks after discharge from the hospital:

within 2 weeks after removing the bandage, the child should not lie on the injured side;
Tight swaddling is recommended;
carry out physiotherapeutic procedures: massage, therapeutic exercises, electrophoresis;
With food, the child must receive the necessary amounts of microelements that promote bone tissue regeneration (phosphorus, calcium, silicon).

The first thing you need to start with is to fix your hand using swaddling. Also for this purpose, a Deso bandage can be used, which allows you to fix the handle to the body.

If there is a cephalohematoma (hemorrhage under the periosteum) or ecchymosis (extensive bleeding into the skin), vitamin K is indicated for the baby; it is injected into the muscle for three days.

Immediately after birth, the child is examined by a doctor directly in the delivery room. If the doctor suspects that the collarbone is broken, he will order an X-ray examination. After this, an accurate diagnosis is made.

In your opinion, breaking a child’s collarbone is serious damage to bone tissue. But don’t despair, a child will lose a fracture much faster than it would happen to an adult. This injury is not associated with casting and does not require surgical intervention.

The applied bandage consists of swaddling a part of the limb with the insertion of a soft roller into the armpit, which fixes the bone in its proper place and prevents it from moving or compromising its integrity during unconscious movements of the newborn.

It is important to ensure that the bandage is not tight. This can lead to poor circulation, a visible sign of which will be the baby’s blue fingers.

The bandage is applied for a week. It is better to entrust the first dressing to a doctor who will show you how to do it correctly and prescribe medications that promote healing, pain relief and relieve swelling.

The elimination of hematomas is facilitated by Traumeel C ointment, which, due to its properties, has a fairly effective effect on the damage and contains natural ingredients and useful minerals.

During health restoration procedures, the baby should sleep and feed only on the healthy side.

To ensure immobility of the limb, the arm is bandaged to the child’s body, being bent at the elbow joint. A cotton pad is placed under the baby's armpit.

The doctor who performs immobilization must ensure that the bandage is not too tight. Every mother who has encountered a fractured collarbone in her newborn child is interested in how long it will take for the bone to heal.

It is worth noting that in infants, fractures heal much faster than in adults, and within a week the doctor will remove the bandage.

Every child after birth should be examined by an obstetrician. If signs of a clavicle fracture appear, it is first necessary to conduct an X-ray examination in order to correctly establish the diagnosis.

Very often, parents think that after a fracture their children will remain disabled. But this is not so: in all cases, the outcome of the treatment is successful - and the motor activity of the hand is restored.

After birth, each child is examined by an obstetrician. As soon as the doctor suspects a fracture of the collarbone, he sends the child for an X-ray examination to confirm or dispute the diagnosis.

Dear parents, do not think that your child will remain disabled after such a fracture. Everything in the child heals and recovers; after a while, the activity and mobility of the arm return to normal.

During the treatment, the arm will be bandaged to the body and a cotton pad will be placed under the armpit. Do not knit the bandage too tightly, as this can lead to blue fingers of the baby. The fracture heals within 5-7 days. Sometimes the fracture is accompanied by bleeding into the skin. In such cases, vitamin K is administered intravenously for 3 days. Also, sometimes an anesthetic, hemostatic, and decongestant ointment is prescribed. Remember, the child is not allowed to lie on the sore side until recovery. And yet, self-medication for a clavicle fracture in a newborn is strictly prohibited. What is done in case of a displaced clavicle fracture?

If the displacement is slight, then a bandage is adjusted and fixed with plaster. If there are a large number of fragments and they are strongly displaced, then they resort to using special splints (2 Kramer splints). Sometimes, surgery is even required.

If a child is diagnosed with a comminuted fracture, then in these cases a special wire or plate is placed. It takes at least a month for such a fracture to heal in children.

Clavicle fracture in a newborn: first aid

There are cases when a clavicle fracture was not diagnosed in the maternity hospital, and signs of damage were noticed by you at home, after discharge. Your observations partially or completely indicate a birth injury, so you need to know how to provide first aid to your baby:

Using a soft scarf, secure the injured limb immobile.
Do not make the bandage too tight, and do not expose the newborn’s delicate body to excessive compression.
Contact a medical facility immediately.

Every person needs to know how to properly provide first aid for a broken collarbone. The victim needs to bend his elbows and pull his shoulders back.

Then place any stick behind his back so that he holds it in the bends of his elbows. In this situation, the victim must be taken to the hospital.

If the clavicle is fractured in a newborn or elderly person, it is best to hang the injured arm in a scarf at a right angle. This reduces the mobility of the skin fragments of the broken collarbone and helps relax the muscles of the shoulder girdle.

A sign of vascular insufficiency is characterized by the victim’s pallor, increased heart rate, and the appearance of cold sweat on the forehead. In this case, the patient is given ammonia to smell.

Everyone should learn how to provide first aid in such a situation. First of all, bend the patient’s elbows and move his shoulders back. Place a stick behind his back so that he can hold it in the bends of his elbows. Then, take the victim in this form to the hospital or emergency room. If the victim turns pale, this is a sign of vascular insufficiency.

Complications

If treated incorrectly, the collarbone may not consolidate for a long time. There are frequent cases of formation of a false joint; the neurovascular bundle, which is located behind the bone, is rarely damaged.

If there is vascular injury, this condition is extremely rare, severe bleeding may develop, and urgent surgical intervention is necessary.

Self-medication for such an injury is strictly forbidden; you should carefully follow the doctor’s recommendations!

Measures taken in time contribute to the baby’s rapid recovery and do not have serious consequences for his health. The main task of parents and doctors in this situation is correct diagnosis and the exclusion of improper fixation of the bandage, which can lead to non-union of the bone and the development of a pseudarthrosis.

If a clavicle fracture occurs during childbirth, a newborn may experience damage to the brachial plexus. Fortunately, this happens very rarely.

What consequences there may be after an injury is a concern for any parent, but if the injury is identified and treatment is carried out in a timely manner, then there is no need to worry. The appearance and functionality of the arm on the side of which the injury occurred will not differ in any way from the healthy limb.

Prevention

To prevent the risk of a collarbone fracture, the expectant mother needs to be attentive to her health during pregnancy. There are no preventative measures for clavicle fracture in newborns, since this is an injury that cannot be foreseen.

Articles on the topic

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Arm yourself with knowledge and read a useful informative article about the disease clavicle fracture in newborns. After all, being parents means studying everything that will help maintain the degree of health in the family at around “36.6”.

Find out what can cause the disease, a fractured collarbone in newborns, and how to recognize it in a timely manner. Find information about the signs that can help you identify illness. And what tests will help identify the disease and make a correct diagnosis.

In the article you will read everything about treatment methods for such a disease as a broken collarbone in newborns. Find out what effective first aid should be. How to treat: choose medications or traditional methods?

You will also learn how untimely treatment of a clavicle fracture in newborns can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid consequences. All about how to prevent clavicle fractures in newborns and prevent complications. Be healthy!

The birth process is complex and often causes all sorts of trauma. During childbirth, a child sometimes experiences a fracture of the collarbone; the main reason for this may be the mother’s narrow pelvis or a large fetus. Such a fracture can occur in 3-4% of the total number of newborns. Most often, a fracture occurs when the baby is in the breech position, when his arms are thrown back.

A bone such as the clavicle is represented in the body by a pair of tubular bones that are part of the shoulder girdle and, if it is pressed too hard, it can crack or even break. Often the fracture is considered complicated. In this case, comminuted or comminuted fractures, and especially displaced ones, can lead to damage to the skin, blood vessels and nerves.

The middle part of the clavicle breaks, and the fracture itself can be complete, with or without displacement of fragments, or subperiosteal (the periosteum covers the bones and is a feeding membrane).

There are several reasons, in addition to the main ones described above, it is necessary to consider them in more detail.

The first reason can be a rapid birth, during which the child does not have time to make all the necessary turns in the pelvic cavity, and the birth canal additionally compresses it from the outside.

A fracture can be caused by using instruments to assist in childbirth or certain manipulations. A fracture can occur when the baby's shoulders or body rotates.

The cause may also be presentation, when the baby is positioned in the pelvic cavity with the buttocks or legs forward. It is these parts of the body that are born first; they pass through the birth canal easily, but the head and shoulders are much more difficult, which leads to fractures. With transverse presentation, a fracture is also possible, but normal childbirth is impossible.

Signs

A hemorrhage or hematoma forms at the site of the fracture, and upon palpating the bone, you can hear a characteristic crunch, crackling or crepitation.

The fracture itself does not affect the function of the limb in any way; active movements in it are observed in full. A fracture can be detected when a bone callus forms. In a newborn, a fracture of the collarbone may not be noticed at all, since it heals in a couple of days, and by the time of discharge from the maternity hospital there is no trace of it.

In case of deeper damage, soft tissue swelling develops. The clavicle is deformed due to displacement of fragments and traction of muscles, primarily the sternocleidomastoid. The child's general condition remains satisfactory, but the function on the injured side is limited. You can observe paralysis, which passes over time, and crepitus of fragments.

Treatment tactics

The first thing you need to start with is to fix your hand using swaddling. Also for this purpose, a Deso bandage can be used, which allows you to fix the handle to the body. If there is a cephalohematoma (hemorrhage under the periosteum) or ecchymosis (extensive bleeding into the skin), vitamin K is indicated for the baby; it is injected into the muscle for three days.

For two weeks, the child should not be placed on the affected side; he should sleep and eat on the healthy side or on his back. After healing of the fracture, the function is completely restored, and the fracture itself does not affect the child’s health in any way.

Treatment of a broken collarbone in a child (techniques in the photo)

Correct position when eating

A clavicle fracture in a newborn is a fairly common birth injury with a concomitant violation of the integrity of the clavicular bone resulting from a difficult delivery. What causes this damage and what kind of help does the baby need?

A clavicle fracture is a pathological condition that is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the clavicular bone (usually in the area of its middle part) with possible displacement. The clavicle is a paired tubular bone responsible for connecting the scapula to the sternum area.

The causes of this traumatic injury in newborn babies, according to experts, are the following factors:

Rapid labor, as a result of which the baby emerges from the birth canal in the wrong position and can break the clavicle bone.
Incorrect presentation of the fetus (foot, transverse, buttock).
Manual or instrumental turning of the baby during childbirth.
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a congenital genetic disease.

A newborn can break his collarbone during the birth process if his mother has a too narrow pelvis (especially if the fetus itself is large). In such situations, doctors sometimes even have to artificially cut the baby’s collarbone so that the baby’s shoulders can exit the birth canal.

As a rule, the bone tissue of newborn children is extremely flexible, so in such patients an uncomplicated clavicular fracture is usually recorded, without displacement or fragments.

How does it manifest?

When a clavicle bone is fractured, a newborn exhibits such characteristic signs as a specific crunch in the clavicle area during palpation, deformation, uneven motor activity of the upper extremities, severe crying and restless behavior, refusal to breastfeed, and permanent lack of appetite.

In addition, the broken area, as a rule, swells greatly, a hematoma forms in this area, and subcutaneous hemorrhages are observed. In some clinical cases, the injury is detected several days after the formation of the callus, which significantly complicates subsequent treatment. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of a clavicular fracture in an infant, it is necessary to contact a pediatric surgeon in order to conduct a competent diagnosis!

What is the danger?

Clavicular fractures in infants heal quite quickly, with complete restoration of the integrity of bone tissue and motor activity. In the absence of professional, timely treatment, there are risks of developing associated complications.

The fact is that newborns with a clavicular fracture suffer from a lack of appetite and refuse to eat, as a result of which proper weight gain does not occur. This leads to the fact that the immune system of a small patient is greatly weakened, and the likelihood of developing concomitant infectious processes - very dangerous and undesirable - increases.

In the absence of medical intervention, the collarbone may not heal properly, leading to the formation of a false joint. One of the most severe complications of this injury is the development of bleeding resulting from damage to the neurovascular bundle located behind the broken collarbone.

There are also risks of such serious consequences as child disability, scoliosis, and lifelong stoop. Therefore, it is necessary to treat a clavicle fracture during childbirth in a newborn in a timely manner, comprehensively and under the strict supervision of a qualified specialist!

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of a clavicular fracture in newborns is carried out by a pediatric surgeon. First of all, the specialist conducts a thorough examination of the small patient, studies the general clinical picture, and the results of the collected anamnesis. After this, in order to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the nature of the injury, an X-ray examination is performed.

Treatment methods

Treatment of a clavicular fracture in newborns begins with immobilization. At the first suspicion of injury, you need to immobilize the baby's hand with a tight bandage, then hang it on a scarf. Subsequently, the baby’s damaged limb is fixed by tying it to the body with a special Deso bandage. If there are no complications, the bandage is removed after 1.5-2 weeks.

In case of severe fractures, it may be necessary to perform surgical intervention, then the bandage is worn for at least about a month. If there are hematomas and edema, the child is prescribed intramuscular injections of vitamin K for three days. Local therapy includes the use of decongestant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic ointments and gels.

Parents need to make sure that the baby does not sleep on the injured side! You can only sleep on your healthy side or lying on your back!

About rehabilitation

In most cases, the clavicle bone in newborns fuses within 18-20 days. In order to accelerate healing and fully restore motor activity during the rehabilitation period, children are prescribed the following procedures:

Magnetotherapy;
Electrophoresis;
Massage;
Therapeutic gymnastics classes.

These manipulations activate blood flow and circulatory processes, which promotes rapid healing of the fracture and restoration of the integrity of bone tissue. Proper, balanced nutrition is also of great importance, which should provide the little patient’s body with all the necessary substances, vitamins and microelements for successful recovery.

Therefore, a breastfeeding mother must include fish, seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits, cheeses, nuts, milk and dairy products in her daily diet. For bottle-fed babies, a pediatrician can help you choose the optimal diet.

A clavicle fracture in newborns is a fairly common injury, which, in the absence of competent and prompt treatment, can cause the development of dangerous, undesirable consequences. Therefore, it is important to provide the baby with first aid correctly, urgently contact a specialist and then strictly follow all medical recommendations.

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The clavicle is a tubular bone connected at one end to the acromion process of the scapula and at the other to the sternum.

The fragment may shift under the pull of the muscles, depending on the nature of the damage received.

The share of such damage the highest percentage is rolled, and statistics show that no one is immune from such a problem.

Therefore, the information will be very useful for mothers.

Causes of fracture

A clavicle fracture in a newborn is violation of bone integrity collarbone, most often in its middle part.

The cause of a fracture in newborns is rapid childbirth, exposure to a mechanical instrument, or the actions of a doctor.

Features of trauma in children

The main feature of this type of fracture is also called "green branch". This is due to the nature of the fracture, when the bone breaks and remains in a slightly bent state.

In this case, the second clavicle does not break, since it is held in place by the periosteum. Therefore, displacement of the broken bone will not occur, or it will be insignificant.

It often happens that the inner part of the bone breaks, but the periosteum remains to hold it. Complete displacement fractures practically never occur in newborns. Open types of fractures do not usually occur.

More severe forms of clavicle fracture, as well as accompanying complications are typical for older children.

Classification of clavicular fractures

Fractures can be divided into several types. Moreover, for each type characterized by the presence of its own foundation.

By quality or by the presence of damage to the skin:

Closed. Fracture isolated from the external environment;
Open. The integrity of the skin is compromised, and sometimes this can cause infection.

By the number of debris and the degree of their separation:

No offset. For the most part, the bone tissue is preserved;
With offset. The connection between the fragments is broken, sometimes one of them moves quite far away.

Along the fault line and its direction:

Oblique;
Helical;
Ringed;
Transverse;
Longitudinal.

Symptoms characteristic of injury

At the site of damage to the integrity of the bone, mild hematoma. Active movements are not broken by hand, but during palpation at the site of the bruise you may feel crunching and crackling which occurs due to crepitus.

The appearance of edema indicates that deeper layers of tissue have been damaged.

In this case, the deformation in the place where the collarbone was damaged also becomes noticeable. There may also be some limitation in the ability to move the hand.

Treatment and first aid for injury

The first step that is necessary when a clavicle fracture is detected in a newborn is immobilization.

For this purpose they use Deso bandage because it is elastic and soft. It is used to secure the child's hand to his body. In the presence of extensive hemorrhage with a bulge, which is called a cephalohematoma, intravenous vitamin K is additionally prescribed.

As a means of having an analgesic effect, it is usually chosen ointment "Traumeel S", which can also be successfully used as a remedy against edema. In addition, it can slightly increase regeneration. It is important to lubricate the entire trapezius muscle, not just the broken collarbone.

For two weeks, the newborn should not lie on the side on which the bone was broken. Treatment of a clavicle fracture in newborns after discharge continues at home. Already after 20 days the bone tissue will heal completely and this injury will not affect the child’s health in any way.

Timely first aid is half the success in treatment

Usually, a fracture of the collarbone in children is diagnosed almost immediately after birth, but sometimes it happens that such damage occurs in infants after discharge from the maternity hospital.

In this case, it is important to provide first aid on time, because a lot depends on its correctness and timeliness. You can select two ways to fix the hand in the presence of a fracture of this kind:

You should fold your child’s arms on his chest, first bending them at the elbow, and then place them behind his head. Next, a stick should be placed behind the back, which should be held in the elbow bends. But since not every child can lie like this for a long time, it is better to use the second method.
It is necessary to immobilize the baby's limb, and a bandage that is not too tight is suitable for this purpose. The hand should be suspended on the scarf at a right angle.

If a baby is found to have pallor, cold perspiration, and a rapid pulse rate, we can say that he is developing all signs of vascular insufficiency.

In this case, you can give the child a little sniff of ammonia.

Afterwards, the baby should be taken to the hospital immediately.

The photo shows a Deso bandage used for a clavicle fracture in children

Anesthesia can be done through the use of special ointments, as well as through injections.

Solutions are injected directly next to the injury site so that they act faster.

Since the arm should be immobilized for the entire duration of treatment, a special type of bandage is selected that is most suitable for children. These include the following:

Delbe rings. Also suitable for fixing displaced fractures. It consists of two rings placed on the patient’s shoulders and connected by a bandage. They tighten the shoulder blades, immobilizing the injured arm.
Deso bandage. It is performed by fixing the arm to the chest using bandages around the chest and shoulder.
8-shaped bandage of fixing type.
Crutch-plaster cast.

Post-traumatic rehabilitation

Remedial measures course, aimed at quickly restoring nutrition in damaged tissue, as well as strengthening the collarbone, which has been damaged, includes the following list of measures:

Magnetotherapy. Exposure to a multi-frequency magnetic field on the damaged area;
Exercise therapy. Performing light arm exercises. Mothers can bend it slightly to the sides, carefully bend the newborn’s arm;
Massage. It is better that it is performed only by a qualified specialist at first, since only a worker with special education will be able to select a complex that will not harm only the healed bone. In the future, you can do it yourself;
Electrophoresis. Exposure to current, together with a special medicine, can also have a beneficial effect and speed up the body’s recovery after injury.

Such measures are aimed at accelerating blood flow, which will promote speedy healing.

Quality therapy is important. The consequences of a clavicle fracture in newborns if not treated in a timely manner and in the absence of a rehabilitation period can be very severe and result in lifelong disability or stoop.

Proper nutrition

Infants who are on a natural diet and drink breast milk, as a rule, are enriched with all the necessary microelements. Since his food comes directly from his mother, she needs to pay special attention to her own diet.

It should include more of those products that will be rich in silicon and calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. Other elements that directly influence the structure of bone tissue are also important.

For children whose main diet is artificial formula, the doctor may recommend a special diet.

It is selected only individually, since the baby’s body is not yet strong enough and is not able to fully cope with infections.

Video: How to apply a Deso bandage

Injuries during childbirth happen quite often, no matter how hard experts try to avoid them. It is impossible to predict the circumstances and their course, even if the pregnancy was without complications. Many problems and risks can be avoided if a woman learns in time how to behave during labor, undergoes all the necessary examinations and prepares herself mentally.

Fracture and dislocation of the collarbone in a baby are common birth injuries

Causes of birth injuries to the collarbone in infants

Even after completing all the preparatory measures, unforeseen circumstances cannot be avoided. During childbirth, the body of a woman and baby experiences enormous stress - the nervous, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems take the brunt. The baby's bone tissue is not yet fully formed, which is why the child's bones and joints are quite flexible and fragile. There is no need to worry prematurely, since bone damage during childbirth goes away without a trace in the vast majority of cases.

Why does dislocation happen?

The shoulders are the widest part of the baby's body, and, for anatomical reasons, are inactive, which significantly increases the likelihood of displacement or fracture in this area during birth. Clavicle injuries (especially the right one due to fetal position) are the most common injuries.

Dislocation is the release of the head of the bone from the articular cavity under the influence of mechanical factors (pressure, stretching, sudden displacement). When the baby comes out, the obstetrician can help him by pulling his arm. Among the reasons, one can note congenital underdevelopment of the joints, which can also cause the clavicle bone to come out of the joint.

For what reasons is a fracture possible?

A fracture is primarily a mechanical damage to the collarbone that occurs due to a load that is not typical for this part of the body.

The causes and factors that increase the risk of a fracture are in many ways similar to the reasons for joint displacement in an infant:

the impact of medical personnel on the position of the child (when the presentation changes), the use of forceps, vacuum extraction;
atypical presentation of the fetus (transverse, breech), in such positions children are often born with injuries;
rapid labor process - the child does not have time to take the correct position, which leads to a fracture or other injuries;
narrow and unprepared birth canal.

Typical symptoms of birth trauma

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A clavicle injury is diagnosed immediately after childbirth, but sometimes the initial examination reveals nothing. According to some signs, it is determined over the next few hours or days:

swelling and/or redness, hematoma in the clavicular area (we recommend reading:);
pain when touching the injured area;
decreased appetite, anxiety;
limited limb mobility;
crunching when moving the hand;
uncharacteristic position of the shoulders relative to each other;
arm hanging;
incorrect head position.

Treatment methods for fractures and dislocations

Treatment for a fracture in a newborn depends on the type of injury, when it was discovered, and possible complications. Therapy consists of immobilizing the arm and prescribing medications that will help relieve swelling and restore tissue. In the case of newborns, fractures heal much faster than in adults.

A clavicle fracture during birth can be of two types - with and without displacement. In most cases, there is no displacement, and this type of fracture heals quickly. After identifying the injury and examination, a tight bandage is applied to the injured area, while the mobility of the affected limb is limited so that the baby does not harm himself with unconscious movements.

Dislocation is treated in the same way. The exit of the bone from the joint can be easily detected, and a pediatric orthopedist or traumatologist can handle the reduction. The specialist applies a bandage, which, depending on the complexity of the injury, parents can change at home themselves. Bandages must be applied carefully, without making the loops too tight, so as not to disrupt blood circulation in the injured limb. Traumeel C ointment is used to reduce inflammation.

In some cases, the attending physician uses analgesics: they are needed if the pain is severe and causes loss of appetite. Pain syndrome develops only in rare situations when the neurovascular bundle is affected. Most often, it does not cause severe discomfort and does not require medication.

If the fracture is displaced, more complex types of bandages are applied to fix the fragments. Surgery may be necessary only in the most difficult cases.

Procedures and care for a child during the rehabilitation period

During the recovery period, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations of specialists. In the first week after the injury, decongestants may be prescribed for the hematoma (administration of vitamins K), if there is one. The consequences of the bone coming out of the joint pass faster than with a fracture, however, even such an injury in newborns heals within 7-10 days, if there are no complications. The rehabilitation period may take about 30 days.

After the bone has healed, procedures may be prescribed to restore mobility, such as massage and exercise therapy. In some cases, electrophoresis or magnetic therapy is used. Sometimes the attending physician may prescribe vitamins (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) or recommend adding foods rich in these elements to the mother’s diet (for breastfeeding).

Consequences of birth injuries for the baby

Due to their young age, tissue flexibility and the preservation of stem cells in the body, young children recover quickly. Injuries pass without a trace without serious consequences.

Due to the pain and discomfort of the injury, the baby becomes anxious and refuses to eat. Decreased appetite can cause weight loss, which can be easily restored with proper treatment.

As a result of injury, a decrease in immunity is sometimes observed, which can lead to infection. In this case, it is advisable to use antibiotics.

If the fracture is accompanied by a dislocation with displacement, or the bandage is applied too tightly, the formation of a false joint is possible. This formation is successfully treated by pediatric orthopedic surgeons. If a fracture of the collarbone in a newborn was discovered outside the hospital, you should definitely consult a doctor and not self-medicate.

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