My 2 1/2 year old grandson fractured his ankle. He was given a cast up to the thigh. After 3 weeks it was removed and when he tried to walk he fell and screamed in pain. Another X-Ray showed it was healed, but the doc put another smaller cast in him anyway. 2 weeks later that was removed. Same thing. It has been 3 weeks without the cast now and he still screams in pain when he puts weight on it. He will not walk! And now in the last 24 hours he'd been screaming and crying from leg pain that seems to be centered on his upper thigh/hip area. Constant. What could this be?
The doc originally thought it was fear, but then agreed with my daughter to look into it further and ordered an MRI. She's been waiting 2 days so far for approval from the insurance. It's Military insurance. And the docs are not even pediatricians. They're Army family physicians, which she told me they have yo use. But this hip pain is brand new since last night.
It is Tri care
They docs would not approve PT.
They told her to just work with him trying to do normal activities. They would not write the prescription for PT at his age.
If they aren't able to treat kiddo then take him to the ER. Tell them he can't walk. They don't have to call ahead of time and get permission to treat a kid, especially one that can't walk without excruciating pain.
My daughter broke her leg in 3 places about 2 years ago. She has 2 fractures in her ankle and one in her thigh right above the knee. She was initially casted for 4 weeks. They took the cast off and she did the same thing, screamed in pain wouldn't walk nothing but blood curdling screams. It was awful. I took her back to the same doc. He said oh its stiff and some pain is to be expected. Okay I accepted that. A week later still the same thing. So I called them back...they wouldn't see her for 2 weeks BC they said its normal blah blah blah. I called another doc and she was seen that day. They did more xrays and said the thigh bone was okay but the ankle didn't heal right and walking on it caused a stress fracture. So back into a cast she went. Another 4 weeks! After that they removed the cast and she did have some trouble from being down so long. We opted out of pt(Dr suggestions) and I just worked with her, aot! It took about another 3 weeks for her to be able to walk just about normal. She turned her foot in from walking with the cast. Now she's fine. My suggestion for you would be don't take his pain complaints lightly. Yes, he may just be scared. But from what your saying it seems to be more than that...just like with my daughter. Best luck! Let us know how he is doing!!
They didn't put him in PT for a few appointments to help rebuild the muscle?
I'm sure the muscles are sore and stiff from not being used for so long.... he is so young! He really hasn't been walking that long..... he will need to re-learn to use the muscles properly.
I agree with others that he may have strained the muscles or tendons from the weeks of different use..... glad to hear he is seeing another doctor, hopefully soon.
ETA: Interesting.... they will pay for a very expensive MRI, but won't pay for a few sessions of PT? Typical military, right? ;)
After ankle surgery and a 6 week cast, I screamed some obscenities when I stepped down and put pressure on my foot. It didn't hurt at the surgery point, it was a sharp pain in my heel. I put my walking cast back on and walked out. It took a few days for me to put the pressure on my heel. I tip toed for a day. Maybe???
Also, I am pretty numb to pain. I walked on that ankle for nearly a year with a torn tendon. In retrospect, a nail tech told me there was something wrong with my ankle because it was swollen and he could feel something inside. I shrugged it off. Boys have a lower tolerance to pain. Perhaps it is just from not walking on the leg properly for that short time. What does the doctor say other than it is healed?
From reading other answers, it looks like a lot of folks have dealt with post-cast pain. So I hope that's all it is, but...Please have the doc check his enzyme count! If enzyme levels are normal, have them rule out a bone marrow infection. Oh this post gave me chills-so similar to what happened to two of my sisters--although their leg issues weren't associated with cast removal.
Could be anything. Could be fear, inflammation, muscle atrophy (from non-use), a lack of balance (now that he no longer has that huge weight on his leg), or some residual injury that they missed. Did he have any therapy while he was in the cast? It seems ridiculous that they would immobilize a 2.5 year old and then expect him to jump up and walk perfectly. Think about when your foot falls asleep - there's little blood flow or movement, then as soon as you try to move it or use it, it's incredibly painful.
It's time for the family physicians to have the child work with physical therapy or make a referral to a specialist - in both cases, someone skilled and experienced in working with children.
Your doctor is the one to talk to (again) about this. My first thought is that it might be fear. But I'm no doctor.
P.,
Welcome to mamapedia!
If they are still active duty - they shouldn't need to wait around for insurance approval. I guess things have changed??? If it's Tri-Care for Life...yeah...
Drama. Attention. Or there is something else wrong - he could have pulled his hamstring or another set of muscles when he had the cast on and it was exacerbated when the cast came off.
The MRI should encompass his hip down to the ankle. I wonder if they'll sedate him for that one.
Could be fear. He could be scared to hurt it again. I know my girlfriend had ankle AND foot surgery and she's 52 - she was screaming in pain when the cast came off....the weight of the cast had strained her hip (which she had had replaced the year before) and caused pain from her hip down.
Make sure your daughter/son and spouse make a list of his complaints when they see the orthopedist. Since you say they are military - most likely, he'll be seeing another one so you can get a second opinion!
Good luck!
Could be time for a new orthopedic doc.
Good luck!
