Pediatric fractures through the eyes of parents: an observational study
Hakan Sofu1, Sarper Gursu, Nizamettin Kockara
1From the Erzincan Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey (HS); Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Baltalimani Bone and Joint Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology (NK); Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine (AI); Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Mengücekgazi Education and Research Hospital, Erzincan (AO); Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Devrek State Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey (YC).
Abstract:
The present study is an observational cross-sectional study. The main purpose of this research was to analyze the perception and behaviors of parents in a series of pediatric upper extremity fracture cases. Hundred and seventeen patients younger than 12 years who were conservatively treated for the upper extremity fracture were included in our study. Parents of the patients were requested to answer a family-centered questionnaire related to their child's fracture and its treatment. When the parents were asked whether they believe casting would be sufficient or not as the treatment of their child's fracture, 84.6% answered 'yes', 13.7% answered 'I am not sure,' and 1.7% answered 'no.' Sixty-four of the parents were not worried about any residual defect in joint or extremity functions related to fracture, whereas 21 were worried and 32 were not sure on this. The rate of searching further information about the child's fracture was 34.2% and the mostly used source was the Internet. Twenty-eight of the 117 respondents (23.9%) emphasized that they would reduce the time their child spend outside the home at least for a while after the removal of cast. When conservatively treating a child's fracture, physicians dealing with traumatology should always consider the parents' perception and behaviors as critically important.
