Call 911 anytime you think your child may need emergency care. For example, call if:
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
To hold your child's bone in place as it heals, your doctor inserted one or more pins into the bone. Some pins are like thick wires. Others are more like screws. In some cases, the pins are attached to an external fixator. This device helps hold your child's bone in place from outside the body.
Pins may stay in place until the bone is healed. Your doctor will tell you how long the pins will be needed.
The places where the pins go into the skin are called the pin sites. These areas must be kept clean to prevent infection. An infection could make a pin become loose or even require your doctor to take out a pin.
Your doctor will give you specific information about when and how to clean your child's pin sites. The following is general information.
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