ABSTRACT
Children’s bones contain less mineral and are more porous than those of an adult. As a result, they are more likely to bend or buckle than fracture completely. In addition, a child’s periosteum is more elastic, stronger and less firmly bound to the cortex. Therefore they are more likely to remain intact when subjected to an external force, so children have fewer comminuted fractures and a lower incidence of non-union. As children grow, their bones are constantly being remodelled. We can often accept greater degrees of angulation in children without aggressive reduction since remodelling will eventually bring the fracture site into alignment. However, some apparently undisplaced epiphyseal injuries lead to increasing limb deformity with growth. The possibility of child abuse is an important consideration in all pediatric fractures, especially in infants.
