Why You Should See a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon for Your Child’s Fracture

When your child breaks a bone, your first instinct is probably to get help fast — but choosing who provides that care can make a big difference. That’s where a pediatric orthopedic surgeon comes in.

So, what exactly is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon?

A pediatric orthopedic surgeon is a doctor who has completed a five-year orthopedic surgery residency followed by additional specialized fellowship training focused solely on treating children’s bones, joints, and muscles. There aren’t as many of us compared to adult orthopedic surgeons, but when it comes to kids’ injuries, it’s worth seeking out a specialist trained to meet their unique needs.

We often say, “Kids aren’t just small adults.” It’s a phrase that might sound cliché, but it couldn’t be more accurate — especially when it comes to orthopedic care. Children are not only physically different, but they also require a different approach emotionally and psychologically. Treating them effectively and compassionately is a skill developed through dedicated pediatric training, and it’s something we’re passionate about.

What Makes Pediatric Fracture Care Different?

Let’s focus on one of the most common reasons kids see us: fractures (broken bones).

If we treated children's fractures the same way we treat adults', we’d end up over-treating most of them. That’s because kids' bones are still growing — and they have a remarkable ability to remodel or straighten themselves out over time, even if the fracture isn’t perfectly aligned at first.

Adults vs. Kids: A Different Approach to Healing

In adults, a broken bone often needs perfect alignment to heal properly. That usually means surgery: making incisions to realign the bone and using plates, screws, or rods to hold it in place. But with kids, we usually avoid surgery if possible. Instead, we gently realign the bone without making any incisions, apply a cast, and let their natural healing process do the rest.

Of course, we have specific guidelines to determine how much “crookedness” is too much and when surgery is necessary. But most pediatric orthopedic surgeons have X-rays we can show you that demonstrate just how effectively a child’s bone can straighten on its own over time — even when it starts out looking significantly misaligned.

When Surgery Is Needed, It’s Often Less Invasive

Even when surgery is required, kids often benefit from minimally invasive techniques. For example:

• Supracondylar humerus fractures (a common elbow injury in kids) sometimes need surgery. In adults, this would involve a large incision and lots of hardware. In children, we can often realign the bone while they’re under anesthesia and stabilize it with pins inserted through the skin — no major incisions, and the pins come out in just a few weeks.

• Forearm fractures in adults most often need to be treated with plates and screws through longer incisions. For children, we frequently use small flexible rods inserted through small incisions. These rods are usually temporary and removed once healing is complete.

Special Consideration: Growth Plate Injuries

Children's bones grow from areas called growth plates, which are softer and more vulnerable than other parts of the bone. These areas are crucial to normal development and require a nuanced approach when injured.

When a fracture involves a growth plate, our goal is to promote healing without causing the growth plate to “fuse” prematurely. If bone forms across the growth plate, it can stop the bone from growing correctly. That’s why we may:

• Attempt to realign the bone only once to minimize trauma

• Use gentle, precise surgical techniques if necessary

• Monitor healing for a year or more afterward to ensure normal growth continues

The younger the child, the more remodeling potential they have — but also, the more we need to monitor and respect the natural growth process.

The Takeaway

Fractures are incredibly common in kids — and they rarely happen at a convenient time. They can put a damper on vacations, sports seasons, or summer plans. But with the right care, kids bounce back quickly.

Seeing a pediatric orthopedic specialist ensures your child receives treat ment that’s not only effective, but also designed with their long-term growth and well-being in mind. Whether it’s a simple cast or a minimally invasive procedure, we’re here to help your child heal and get back to being a kid — running, jumping, and playing like nothing ever happened.