Today my son fell at the playground and broke his arm. How long will the bone take to heal?
– Debra

Broken bones heal at different rates, depending on the age of the child and the type of fracture. Certain fractures in young kids can heal as quickly as 3 weeks, while it may take as long as 6 weeks for the same kind of fracture to heal in teens. And some fractures can take as long as 10 weeks to heal.

Most likely, your son's arm was put in a cast. Some casts are waterproof and some are not, so be sure to check with your doctor about the best way to care for it. Also ask the doctor what activities your son can participate in and when he can get back to his normal lifestyle. With a little TLC, he'll be back in the swing of things in no time.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: May 2010

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