Our Services
Explore health content from A to Z.
Hospital Locations
I need information about...
Your child will be coming home with a splint (sometimes referred to as a removable cast). A splint helps your child’s body heal by holding his or her injured bones or joints in place. A damaged splint can prevent the injury from healing well. Take good care of your child’s splint. If the splint becomes damaged or loses its shape, it may need to be replaced. Here's what you need to know about home care.
Your child has a broken ___________________ bone. This bone is located in the __________________.
Make sure your child wears his or her splint according to the health care provider's instructions.
Clean the splint with soap and lukewarm water, and scrub it with a small brush.
Use alcohol wipes to rub the inside of the splint to reduce odor and bacteria.
Wash the Velcro straps and inner cloth sleeve (stockinet) with soapy water and air-dry.
Keep the splint away from open flames.
Don’t expose the splint to heat, space heaters, or prolonged sunlight. Excessive heat will cause the splint to change shape.
Don’t cut or tear the splint.
Encourage your child to exercise all the adjacent joints not immobilized by the splint. If your child has a long leg splint, help him or her to exercise the hip joint and toes. If your child has an arm splint, encourage exercise of the shoulder, elbow, thumb, and fingers.
Elevate the part of the body that is in the splint. This helps reduce swelling.
Call the health care provider right away if your child has any of the following:
Tingling or numbness in the affected area
Severe pain that cannot be relieved with medication
Cast that feels too tight or too loose
Swelling, coldness, or blue-gray color in his or her fingers or toes
Cast that is damaged, cracked, or has rough edges that hurt
Pressure sores or red marks that don’t go away within 1 hour of removing the splint
Blisters
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.