Now that giant backyard water inflatables have become a thing this summer, and rollerblading is back (who knew?), you may be finding your kids with some serious bumps and bruises that not only require more than a bandage, but knowledge from a kids orthopedic specialist. But what’s a mom to do with a broken arm and unhappy kid in the middle of a pandemic? We sat down with the experts at The Orthopedic Health Center in Hoboken to get some important advice on preventing and treating a broken bone.
Doctor (and Dad) Knows Best at The Orthopedic Health Center in Hoboken, NJ
As a place that treats both kids and their parents, The Orthopedic Health Center focuses on minimally-invasive orthopedic joint and spine surgeries, sports medicine, pediatric orthopedics, and shoulder and knee arthroscopy and addresses both injuries and chronic conditions. Having been open for a little over a year, the practice makes it easy for worried parents to get expert advice and treatment without traveling across the Hudson.
Dr. Edward Feliciano is the practice’s Director of Orthopedic Surgery, but he has another title—father of four. So, he knows how much a broken bone can be a significant summer bummer for a child. “Kids are so active during the summer and want to be able to do things, and if they can’t, it can affect the whole family. We just had a patient come in with a broken wrist, and I wanted to make sure he had a waterproof cast to be able to go swimming with his family, ” he says.
Dr. Feliciano says kids are trying out new types of activities, like rollerblading, which can put them at a higher risk for injury. While you can’t do everything to prevent an accident, you can make sure that safety is always top of mind. “I would stress to moms to make sure your child is supervised and taking all the safety precautions with the equipment needed. Like with rollerblading, you need helmets and knee pads, so they stay safe if they fall,” he says.
Accidents happen, so what should moms do first?
As we mamas know, accidents are bound to happen. Dr. Feliciano tells us there are some key things to keep in mind if and when you think your child has a bone injury. “First, of course, make sure your child is safe, and evaluate at home checking to see if your child can walk, move their arm for even simple movement like brushing their teeth. For the most part, when a kid has an orthopedic injury, they’ll favor the other side, maybe by not using one arm or limping. You know your child best, so if you have a gut feeling something isn’t right, you should get it checked out,” Dr. Feliciano said.
Dr. Feliciano stresses the importance of seeing a kids orthopedic specialist right away, especially during the pandemic. And if you’re worried about waiting for an appointment, don’t be—The Orthopedic Health Center in Hoboken often can get people in quickly, particularly concerned parents and their injured kids. “I’ve seen patients the same day with injuries. If you go to urgent care, they’re also seeing people with COVID or stomach bugs or whatever, whereas I solely focus on the musculoskeletal system and their injury. Kids are not just little adults; they’re growing, they have growth plates in their bones, and we have to keep that in mind, and you have to know what to look for, what to ask, and how to treat those things,” Dr. Feliciano says. If a surgical need arises, The Orthopedic Health Center can assist with that, too—Dr. Feliciano is an expert in cutting edge surgical techniques in simple and complex adolescent orthopedic issues.
Yet regardless of what treatment is needed, Dr. Feliciano recognizes the importance of how a kid may feel about dealing with an orthopedic injury. “With my kids, I know that sports activities and things they like to do are very important to them. So with pediatric patients, I realize when they’re injured, it affects their body but also their mental health. For us, a 6-year-old’s soccer game is not a big deal if they miss it, but if you think from their perspective, it seems like their whole world. So I try to focus on doing what I can to get them healing quickly,” he says. And back to doing the activities, they love, again. 
For more information on The Orthopedic Health Center in Hoboken, visit their website, Facebook, and Instagram, or give them a call at (201) 596-3730.
This post is sponsored by The Orthopedic Health Center to help every NJMOM keep their family safe and strong.
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