Musculoskeletal injuries in children

♦ In children, bone is more flexible and heals faster than in adults but is at risk of growth disturbance. It is also capable of remodelling♦ The physis is weaker than the structures around it and therefore is liable to disruption in trauma♦ The possibility of injuries as a result of abuse must be considered in children and have a characteristic pattern♦ In poly trauma, children are more susceptible to hypothermia. Abdominal viscera and the cranium are more vulnerable. However, the central nervous system has more scope for recovery, and the cardiovascular system has an excellent capacity for coping with hypovolaemic shock♦ A reliable specific paediatric score should be used to plan treatment♦ The management of fractures is more likely to involve traction, plaster, and K-wires.