baby with broken femur?

Question

My 3wk old baby was brought to the doctor because she was very cranky. He checked her out and sent for x-rays. He said that she had a broken femur, a fractured rib and arm. The only explanation was that I swaddled her very tightly with her arms crossed over her chest and her legs crossed. Are there any pressure points on the babies bones and could the swadling have caused such harm? Also I explained that I tripped over a toy and fell with her in my arms. Could that have caused injury?

This happend a year ago and investigations were done and resolved and I was never arrested but I never got any real answers

also some are saying I brought her to the doctor only because she was cranky. Yes she was and I was concerned she was ill not because she was getting on my nerves and I have a 5 and 2year old and they have been fine all this time so it has nothing to do with anger or making excuses to cover up abuse. That is not the case

Answer 1

Is it possible that your baby has a form of osteogenesis imperfecta?

I'm not a doctor, but to be honest, applying my personal experience combined with your description of her injuries, it sounds like it may be type I or IV osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta affects mostly ribs and femurs, and things that won't affect your average baby (like a minor fall or the pressure of swaddling) will break the bones of an infant with this condition. Some of these infants are even born with broken bones, and the breaks are not detected until they are a few weeks old.

Your child can be tested for the gene mutation.

There are people who abuse their children, and their are also people who have done nothing wrong and still have a child with broken bones because of a true accident or a genetic condition.

It is wrong to blindly accuse people of abuse or proclaim to the world that someone is "obviously" abusing their child or that they are "severely unfit " when you don't have any knowledge of the facts of the situation nor access to the childs medical records.

Here is a good site on osteogenesis imperfecta with a lot of links for support groups and more information:

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=osteogenesisimperfecta

Mattie, I think she is asking now because she says she "never got any real answers". It appears that you are a nurse or medical professional of some sort, and as you must know, the severity of her babies condition and activites would be the determining factors in how many (if any) more broken bones the baby would have. Also, other fractures could have been very minor and healed themselves without being detected.

Answer 2

There are a few congenital conditions that would make your baby prone to breaks. But I have to wonder if this happened a year ago and you haven't had anymore broken bones and you're pretty sure the mentioned injuries can be attributed to falling while holding a baby that was tightly wrapped...why are you asking this question? If your infant is now a year and three weeks old and you only had the one "accident" why are you asking about pressure points on a babies bones now?

Answer 3

I'm begging anyone reading this to not answer this persons question. Forget Child Protective Services visiting her house to "check-up" on her baby. Any doctor worth his salt would have reported this immediately and that child should have been removed from her care and sent with a family member or foster care until an investigation can be completed. The reason she want excuses for the injuries is not because she don't know how it happened but because she is looking for a good excuse to tell the police so she doesn't get charged with criminal child abuse.

That baby is only 3 weeks old and not only has a broken thigh bone, arm and fractured a rib but mom claims to be unsure how it happened. She took her baby to the doctor not because she fell on the child but because she "was cranky." This women is showing signs of being severely unfit and she has only had the baby 3 weeks.

If one of you gives her an excuse good enough they may give the baby back to her without services. Then when she hurts the baby again or worse kills it you will be to blame. I don't think the best answer 10 points are worth that much.

Even if it was an accident or done by someone she allowed access to the child this mother has shown she lacks the knowledge necessary to be responsible for an infant at this time. She needs parenting classes and possible treatment for post par tum depression.

Answer 4

When you fell with that baby you should have called the doctor for a check up immediately. Whenever you take your child in for something that bad they are going to make a report. Child Protective Services may call on you from time to time to make sure the baby is okay.
If your having anger problems because of the baby crying you either need someone to watch her for awhile and give you a break or talk to a minister, priest or rabbi. Swaddling don't help if you were swaddled would you like it? Heck no.. keep her warm but don't bundle her up like a package!

Answer 5

It could have been a natural thing which evolved or may it may have been because of you tripping over the baby. Actuallu, a baby's skin and specially bones are really soft. Just a hard press would break them off. But they will not feel the pain because they do not have any sensations when small.

So, I think may be when you tripped over her, it could have broken the femur.

Anyway, it will recover very soon. Dont worry. In future, you can place the baby on a baby chair and let her rest there.

That should do her good.

BYE

Answer 6

Wendy, your question causes me GREAT concern! I can find no appropriate reason for a baby to have broken bones, while in the care of their mother or father. Tripping and falling, while an accident certainly, is not an excuse. Be more careful with your baby. They are fragile. I can't help but wonder if your Dr. reported this incident to Child Protection Services. This concerns me.

Answer 7

it is very hard to fracture a babys bones, u must have done something terrible, i don't mean to sound rude but i have had 3 kids and nothing like that has ever happened, their bones are so flexible, it sounds like u are trying to blame it on something else. i think u need to get help QUICK

Answer 8

a babys bones are soft and flexible, therefore DO NOT break easily
This was not caused by wrapping the baby to tight or a fall by you, unless you landed on it!
I hope the doctor reported this-

Answer 9

Don't want to be judgmental but your question is indeed, disturbing. Why are you asking this only now-after over a year? Something bothering you?

Answer 10

baby's are weak and fagile but they heal fast so dont worry