Orthopaedic Surgery - Discharge advice following Paediatric (children's) clavicle fracture

• Your child has fractured their Clavicle (Collar Bone)
• This type of fracture is common in children
• This type of fracture heals well - the only treatments required are painkillers and a sling
• We may expect the collar bone to be painful for 4-6 weeks
• Your child may find it more comfortable to sleep sitting upright for a few days after the injury
• The shoulder and arm can be moved out of the sling as comfort allows. This will usually be about 2 weeks after the injury, but can be sooner if comfortable
• The ‘bump’ over the fracture is quite normal and is produced by healing bone. It may take up to one year to disappear. If your child is older than ten years a small bump may remain
• Your child may return to sports such as swimming as soon as comfortable, but should avoid contact sports (such as football, rugby and basketball) for six weeks from the date of the fracture, as there is a risk of damaging the fracture
• If you are still experiencing significant symptoms after two months, please phone the fracture clinic helpline for further advice

Contact Information

Should you have any worries or concerns following discharge from hospital, please contact the Fracture Clinic on 0161 206 4892 between 8.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday.

Please leave a message out of hours, and a member of staff will return your call as soon as possible.