Summer means rise in ER visits for kids

Increase in accidents and broken bones

HOUSTON – During the summer, kids are out being active and that could mean accidents and broken bones.

Doctors at Texas Children's Hospital know as the temperature rises, so does the number of children going into the emergency room with broken bones.

"They may jump from anything -- a swing or a slide or jump off a climbing device and land wrong on their leg and twist and sustain a fracture that way," said Dr. William Phillips, Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics.

"I would say the two most common pieces of equipment we see injuries from are trampolines resulting in fractures; and playgrounds, which tend to be in public areas, pools or parks or things like that," said Dr. Phillips.

Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Scott Rosenfeld told Local 2 the most common pediatric fracture is a forearm or wrist fracture.

"Kids tend to fall on an outstretched arm and will break the forearm just above the wrist," said Dr. Rosenfeld.

He warns parents to make sure they seek proper treatment for fractures in children who are still growing.

"If they fracture through a growth plate, then that can cause long-term growth abnormality," said Dr. Rosenfield. "If the growth plate is injured or it is not realigned appropriately, the growth plate could stop growing completely. He could end up with a short arm or a short leg or it could partially stop growing and he could end up with an arm or leg that grows crooked."

Dr. Rosenfeld said he is operating on about three children a day with fractures this summer.

They are seeing as many as 60 patients with broken bones a week at the TCH Pediatric Fracture Clinic.