November 18, 2024, 1:10 p.m.
If your child is complaining of hand or wrist pain, ice, rest and over-the-counter pain reliever can help them feel better. Still, you might be wondering when it’s time to take them to see a doctor.
Lindley Wall, MD, a WashU Medicine pediatric hand surgeon at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, breaks down what to look for:
- Tenderness in a specific area
- Digits or limbs that look crooked
- Bruising or swelling
If your child has any of the above symptoms, it’s best to take them to the doctor for X-rays.
If you see an obvious break or blood, or your child’s pain can’t be controlled by over-the-counter pain reliever, go to the emergency department for treatment.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has six pediatric emergency department locations across the St. Louis and southern Illinois region. These include St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Belleville, Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Shiloh, Children’s Hospital at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Children’s Hospital at Northwest HealthCare and Children’s Hospital at Progress West Hospital.
