Kids' Hand Injuries Need Special Care
Our New Hand and Upper Extremity Center Offers Pediatric Expertise
Every parent knows that as soon as little legs can crawl, little fingers will get into everything. Toddlers get fingers trapped in doors or drawers. Older children jam, twist or break their fingers at play and in sports.
When children injure their hands, getting to a pediatric hand specialist quickly is vital for the best outcome, says Roger Cornwall, MD, a co-director of the new Hand and Upper Extremity Center at Cincinnati Children’s. He and center co-directors Mohab Foad, MD, and Kevin Yakuboff, MD, are fellowship-trained in pediatric hand and microsurgery.
Because it’s not easy for a parent to tell if a child’s hand injury is serious enough for medical attention, it’s better to err on the side of caution. “Call your pediatrician,” Dr. Cornwall advises. “If there’s a break, your doctor can refer you to us.”
Don’t Delay Treatment
Typically, he says, parents wait for swelling to subside. If pain persists, they call the pediatrician, who may order an X-ray. If it shows a fracture, the doctor directs the family to the emergency department. ED staff may then suggest calling an orthopaedist.
“By then, it’s three weeks later, and the fracture may have healed badly,” says Dr. Cornwall. “Often surgery can’t correct this, and the child is left with a deformed or malfunctioning finger.” He notes that the five full-time pediatric hand surgeons of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center aim to see children within 24 to 36 hours of a referral.
Why Pediatric Hand Specialists?
The most effective care is not only prompt, but also designed for a child. Dr. Cornwall cautions that with children’s hands, it’s often best to be less aggressive with surgical approaches.
“For adult injuries, surgeons use plates and screws without casts, so patients can move their fingers and reduce stiffness. In children, you want to be minimally invasive, protecting the hand or arm with a cast instead of using plates and screws. A child will recover excellent range of motion even after four weeks in a cast,” says Dr. Cornwall.
The center is a joint venture of the divisions of orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, physical and occupational therapy, and rehabilitative medicine. The team sees patients at both the Burnet and Liberty Campuses for acute injury to the hand, arm and shoulder, as well as congenital and posttraumatic deformities.
Find out more about the Hand and Upper Extremity Center. Or call the hand program coordinator at 513-803-HAND.
