Girls lead boys for broken bones

Broken limbs can disrupt children's lives in many different ways

More girls than boys break their bones, according to figures from Yorkhill Children's Hospital in Glasgow.

They were released by NHS Greater Glasgow to coincide with Child Safety Week and show that most accidents happened while playing at school.

Research showed that, out of young patients treated for fractures in the hospital's accident and emergency department, 51% were girls.

Youngsters aged from 10 to 14 are at greatest risk of breaking bones.

The statistics are being displayed on posters across the NHS Greater Glasgow healthcare sites.

Josie Isles, spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "Accidents are not inevitable. We can all do more to prevent these kinds of injuries by providing safe places for children to play.

The summer months always bring an increase in the number of children coming to A&E Nanjappachetty Doraiswamy Consultant surgeon

"Areas where children play should be as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. If children have safe and exciting places to play, they are less likely to wander off to more dangerous locations."

Consultant Nanjappachetty Doraiswamy said: "The summer months always bring an increase in the number of children coming to A&E with bone or joint injuries.

"Since children's bones break more easily than adults, it can be relatively common to see a young child with an arm or leg in plaster.

General anaesthetic

"However not many people appreciate the number of hospital visits, treatments and complications these kind of injuries can incur.

"Many can require surgical correction with metal pins or plates or manipulative correction under general anaesthetic.

"But the most difficult aspect to cope with is often the disruption to normal routines from sleeping and eating all the way to schooling and playing, not to mention the difficulties for parents."

David Radford, spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow, said: "It is particularly relevant and a timely reminder for all parents that these statistics have been released during Child Safety Week.

"Unfortunately, many children will spend the up and coming summer holiday period recovering from an injury, which could have been avoided."

The theme of this year's safety campaign is "Don't trust your child's safety to luck". Child Safety Week runs from 20-24 June.