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How Recovering from an Injury is Different for a Child

Seeing a child suffer an injury can be one of the most devastating things a parent can experience. But children, just like adults, can be victims of accidents like dog bites, slip and falls, and car accidents. If your child is injured in an accident, you can file a personal injury claim on his or her behalf. Speak with a personal injury lawyer about your state’s laws regarding personal injury claims for minors.

A child’s recovery from an injury is not the same as an adult’s recovery. Understanding these differences can help you advocate for your child through the personal injury claim process.

Children’s Bones Heal Faster than Adult Bones

Greenstick fractures are bone breaks in young children that occur when the bone is bent to the point of breaking. They are so named because young children’s bones are soft and flexible, much like a young sapling.

A child’s bones are also subject to different fracture patterns than adult bones. In most cases, a child recovers more quickly from a broken bone than an adult because as bones grow, they “remodel” themselves to correct breaks.

An Injury can Set a Child Back in School

When a child has to leave school to recover, he or she can fall behind on assignments and skill acquisition. Work with your child’s teachers and pediatrician to determine when to start working school assignments back into his or her schedule and if outside tutoring is necessary to help him or her catch up to the rest of the class. It is rarely appropriate to “hold a child back” a grade. Instead, tutoring and extracurricular enrichment can help your child recover from any academic setbacks he or she experiences.

Traumatic Brain Injuries can Impact the Child’s Development

When the brain is injured, a victim can suffer neurological, behavioral, and cognitive impairments. In a child, this can affect his or her long-term brain development.

He or she can experience difficulty in school and social situations, sometimes requiring extensive rehabilitative therapy to overcome.

Young Children’s Immune Systems are Not as Strong

When a young child suffers a cut, it is extremely important that the wound is promptly treated and closed, then receives appropriate cleaning and maintenance until it is fully healed. This is to reduce the wound’s chance of becoming infected, which can have serious implications for a child whose immune system is not as strong as an adult’s.

Work with an Experienced La Crosse Personal Injury Lawyer

If your child suffered an injury because of another party’s negligence, you can seek compensation for the damages associated with his or her injury through a personal injury claim. These can be the medical bills you face, your lost wages from having to take time off to care for your child, and compensation for your child’s own loss of enjoyment of life. To learn more about pursuing a personal injury claim on your child’s behalf, contact our team of personal injury lawyers at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd. today to set up your initial consultation in our office.

Published August 19, 2017
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