Casts are a common treatment for fractures. Casts are used to immobilize injured bones, promote healing, and reduce pain and swelling while the bone heals. They are sometimes put on an arm or leg after surgery to protect the bone and ensure it remains in proper alignment.
Getting a cast put on is not painful. You and your child will be brought into the cast room by one of our cast technicians. The cast application will vary depending upon what type of cast your child will be receiving. Your cast technician will go over the specific details with you.
Your child will feel warmth as the fiberglass gets hard. It will not burn but should feel warm like a bath. This reaction will last about 10 minutes. It will take less than five to 10 minutes for the cast to completely set. The outer layer is wet but will dry to a hard, protective covering. Doctors sometimes make tiny cuts in the sides of a cast to allow room for swelling. Absolutely not! A wet cast may not hold the bone in place because the cast could start to dissolve in the water and could irritate the skin underneath it, possibly leading to infection.
And instead of a shower, your child may need to take a sponge bath. Although the fiberglass itself is waterproof, the padding inside a fiberglass cast is not.
If this is a problem, talk to the doctor about getting a waterproof liner. Fiberglass casts with waterproof liners let kids continue bathing or even go swimming during the healing process. Also, only certain types of breaks can be treated with this type of cast. Your doctor will determine if the fracture may be safely treated with a waterproof cast. That often makes the whole broken bone experience more bearable for kids. Permanent markers usually work best; washable ones can smear. Feel free to encourage siblings, family members, and classmates to sign it, draw pictures on it, or decorate it with stickers.
The doctor might even let your child keep the adorned cast as a souvenir. Try blowing some air in the cast with a hair dryer — be sure to use the cool setting, though. This can happen if the cast is hit or crushed, has a weak spot, or if the injured area begins to swell underneath.
Call your doctor as soon as you notice a crack. If you have a larger cast, you could go for a marker with a thicker nib. Avoid washable markers, which can smear if you get your cast wet.
You should also avoid highlighters, which won't show up very well. Keep your cast as a souvenir. You don't want to throw your cool new work of art in the trash after you heal. Tell your doctor you want to keep your cast after they remove it.
Make sure you do this before they start the process. This way, they'll be careful to do as little damage as possible if they have to cut it.
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References 1. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: September 15, Categories: Bone Fractures. Article Summary X Choosing the right cast color can make you feel a little better while your broken bones recover. Deutsch: Eine Gipsfarbe aussuchen. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times.
I was planning to go for purple, but now I know it will be slightly darker. I'm going to choose a different one. More reader stories Hide reader stories. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Sana Rizwan Jun 6, Ruby Mann Jul 5, Choose from black, maroon, purple, blue, light blue, red, pink, orange, green, light green, yellow, white, and camouflage. Waterproof liners for your cast are optional, and insurance companies do not pay for the extra charge.
Use a paintbrush to apply paint in a thin, smooth layer over your hand cast. Use a turntable or lazy Susan if you have one to move around the hand cast as you paint, without having to touch it. If you need a cast for a broken arm, to mend after knee surgery, or for another injury, you may wear it for several weeks or months. The cast keeps your bone or joint from moving so it can heal. But it also can cause discomfort and problems, from an annoying itch to a serious infection. Although some types of injuries can heal with just a splint, most fractures will need a cast.
A cast is essentially a big, hard bandage that keeps a bone from moving during the healing process. Once your cast is dry, you can either leave it with a natural plaster surface or paint it.
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