Forearm Fracture in Children Diagnosis

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How is a broken forearm diagnosed in children?

After discussing your child's symptoms and medical history, your doctor will perform a careful examination of your child's arm to determine the extent of the injury. He or she will look for:

  • Deformity about the elbow, forearm, or wrist
  • Tenderness
  • Swelling
  • An inability to rotate or turn the forearm

During the physical examination, your doctor will also test to make sure that the nerves and circulation in your child's hand and fingers have not been affected.

X-rays provide clear images of dense structures such as bones. Because the hand, wrist, arm, and elbow can all be injured during a fall on an outstretched arm, your doctor may order x-rays of the elbow and wrist, as well as the forearm, to determine the extent of the injury.