Elbow injury in a 6 year old?

My daughter fell on the trampoline while at her dad's house this past week. She fell and then he fell on top of her arm while it was sort of twisted and bent. I had to call and MAKE him take her to the ER and get it checked out that night. Well, he told me that they said it is fractured and has bleeding in the joint and it is very swollen and bruised. I just got her back today, as he had her for 6 days for christmas. Should I take her to her regular dr tomorrow and get it re-checked? She has a soft cast and is not to take it off for ten days unless she is taking a bath. Is there anything else I should do in this situation?

It would probably be a good idea to have her regular doctor have a look at it. You really can't break a joint,but you can severely dislocate it. The bones themselves could have been fractured though, at the same time. I'd say for your own peace of mind at least, take her in to be seen and get the full explaination for yourself. Even if the injury is limited to the joint and there isn't a true fracture, it will take a little while for the swelling and bruising to go away. There's not much else that can be done at the moment. You can try to make her more comfortable by using a pillow to support the arm while she is sitting or lying down, and by applying warmth to the arm to help reduce the swelling some. Otherewise, the body just has to heal itself. Up the amount of calcium in her diet as much as you reasonably can, and be sure she's getting a good balanced diet so she's got everything she needs to heal with. It's not usually a problem getting them to avoid using the arm until after it starts to get better. She will probably want to move the arm before it's really time, and then it will be a trick. The cast will also tend to itch. When she takes a bath, you can help with that by gently coating her arm with a good lotion. Poor thing, I bet she does feel rather miserable. Fortunately young bones and joints do heal fairly quickly though, and she should be back to her self in about a month.

Try to have her keep her arm elevated or resting on a pillow if she can. Also, make sure that the father gave you a copy of the x-rays from the emergency department. I would also call her physician tomorrow, explain the situation, and see if they would refer her to an pediatric orthopedist or at least an orthopedic physician. Children have growth plates and breaks specifically in their elbows need to be monitored. Good luck!! Also, motrin or tylenol for pain if they didn't give him a prescription for something stronger.

You should always follow up with an orthopedic specialist after an Emergency room visit where a fracture was confirmed. Emergency physicians are skilled in treating immediate injuries. A specialist will better know how to treat the injury long term. (If she would need surgery, cast, etc.)