One side of the bone is broken and the other side is only bent. Some fractures are not even obvious. These fractures may not be visible on an x-ray until several weeks after the injury occurs. If this part of the bone does not heal properly, growth of the bone may be impaired. When parents suspect that their youngster's bone is broken, they should keep the injured area as still as possible.
Further movement can only make matters worse by damaging nearby nerves, muscles, and blood vessels.
Immediate first aid includes making a splint to keep the fractured bone from moving and being further damaged. Splints can be made of wood, plastic, a rolled up magazine, an umbrella, or any available rigid object. The splint should be longer than the bone it supports. For example, if parents suspect that the forearm is broken, the splint should reach past the elbow on one end and past the wrist on the other. Splint the area firmly to prevent motion, but not too tight that blood flow is impaired.