How do you keep a 5 year old still?

mbjerkness

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Well it has been 3 weeks since my daughter broke her arm. today they took the cast off. it has just started to heal, it is crooked. The doctor phone a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. He said to keep the cast off. sometimes in children the bone straightens itself out. So now I have to keep my just turned 5 yerar old. still for 3 weeks.
How? no bike, no trampoline, no running around. no playground. no using the arm. It will rebreak very easily. if they recast it it will stay crooked. So I have to watch her for pain. If it really starts hurting. bring her in and they will do surgery.
 

belongstoevie

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Poor baby!! Poor you!!

I have no clue how to keep a 5 year old still. How does one do the impossible?? If you figure out how to keep her still, work on the cure for cancer next, ok?


Just want to send
and to all of you! Hope she heals straight, and quickly, and that you don't go crazy until then!
 

glitch

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Originally Posted by mbjerkness

Well it has been 3 weeks since my daughter broke her arm. today they took the cast off. it has just started to heal, it is crooked. The doctor phone a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. He said to keep the cast off. sometimes in children the bone straightens itself out. So now I have to keep my just turned 5 yerar old. still for 3 weeks.
How? no bike, no trampoline, no running around. no playground. no using the arm. It will rebreak very easily. if they recast it it will stay crooked. So I have to watch her for pain. If it really starts hurting. bring her in and they will do surgery.
If you figure it out can you let me know?? I have a 5 y/o, a 3 y/o and 2 y/o, plus on days ending in Y I have an extra 5 y/o! Ive been trying to get them to hold still since the day they were born... no luck yet! Did she break the arm she colors with? You could try finger paints or something with the good arm, that always keeps them sitting pretty still, plus you can start working on the kindergarden stuff! That kept Angel still for a whole hour one day!
 

carolpetunia

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How do you keep a five-year-old still? Well, with my nephew, we used to think we'd have to resort to chains and cinderblocks.


Poor little one. Can you get her interested in some kind of project that requires sitting? Like artwork of some kind, or stringing big plastic beads, or balancing those Jenga pieces. Maybe if you give her lots of different projects, she can rotate among them and her little short five-year-old attention span won't be too challenged.

Do you have some way to keep her from hurting it in her sleep?

EDIT: I just had an inspiration that might help sometimes: you could take a cardboard box and decorate it pretty with glitter and all, inside and out, and cut a hole in the side and put a nice soft pillow in there. And you could tell her that when she's drawing or reading or watching TV, she should rest her arm on the pillow inside that box, because it's a magic healing box that will help her arm get better! You could even enlist her help in decorating it, to make the magic just especially for her! You might even be able to make a version that would keep her from rolling over on her arm when she's asleep...
 

glitch

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

How do you keep a five-year-old still? Well, with my nephew, we used to think we'd have to resort to chains and cinderblocks.


Poor little one. Can you get her interested in some kind of project that requires sitting? Like artwork of some kind, or stringing big plastic beads, or balancing those Jenga pieces. Maybe if you give her lots of different projects, she can rotate among them and her little short five-year-old attention span won't be too challenged.

Do you have some way to keep her from hurting it in her sleep?

EDIT: I just had an inspiration that might help sometimes: you could take a cardboard box and decorate it pretty with glitter and all, inside and out, and cut a hole in the side and put a nice soft pillow in there. And you could tell her that when she's drawing or reading or watching TV, she should rest her arm on the pillow inside that box, because it's a magic healing box that will help her arm get better! You could even enlist her help in decorating it, to make the magic just especially for her! You might even be able to make a version that would keep her from rolling over on her arm when she's asleep...
Thats great! Why didn't I think of that!
 
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mbjerkness

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

How do you keep a five-year-old still? Well, with my nephew, we used to think we'd have to resort to chains and cinderblocks.


Poor little one. Can you get her interested in some kind of project that requires sitting? Like artwork of some kind, or stringing big plastic beads, or balancing those Jenga pieces. Maybe if you give her lots of different projects, she can rotate among them and her little short five-year-old attention span won't be too challenged.

Do you have some way to keep her from hurting it in her sleep?

EDIT: I just had an inspiration that might help sometimes: you could take a cardboard box and decorate it pretty with glitter and all, inside and out, and cut a hole in the side and put a nice soft pillow in there. And you could tell her that when she's drawing or reading or watching TV, she should rest her arm on the pillow inside that box, because it's a magic healing box that will help her arm get better! You could even enlist her help in decorating it, to make the magic just especially for her! You might even be able to make a version that would keep her from rolling over on her arm when she's asleep...
That is a great idea. I wish I could color or draw, do crafts with her, or something but it is her right hand, and she is very right handed. Dh suggested I put it in a sling. then she can`t accidently use it to lean or something. I am more upset now than when she broke it. I just can`t see how this is going to work. maybe a lot of bubble wrap
 

dixie_darlin

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Two Words....
Duct Tape.....


Or strong sedatives



Seriously, I have a 6yr old and I haven't the slightest idea on how to keep them still......


Good luck with that!
 

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I've been through this several times with my nieces/nephews! (i've got 8 nieces and nephews, 2 great nieces and a great nephew on the way!)

Keep her BUSY!!!!!
Take her to the zoo- let her walk around and look at all of the animals, take her to the park and let her feed the ducks (with her good hand), Mabye take her to a pottery studio and let her paint with her good arm (Or you could get her lots of fun things to paint or draw at home. My niece especially loved getting terra cotta pots and painting them with me- we did all sorts of fun things with them- polka dots/etc...and then we went to the hardware store's nursary section and picked out some cute inexpensive plants and potted them (i had to help).

Board games are another fun thing (pick something that'll hold her interest though), Maybe you could get some cat and dog treats and take them to your local shelter/rescue (with permission) and let her pass them out to the animals- i bet that would brighten her day. Just find something to keep her stimulated and active that doesn't necessarily involve her using her arm.


You could also let her go online with you and maybe let her design her "dream bedroom"- let her have fun trying out different colors and fabrics etc and let her imagination run wild a bit!
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

EDIT: I just had an inspiration that might help sometimes: you could take a cardboard box and decorate it pretty with glitter and all, inside and out, and cut a hole in the side and put a nice soft pillow in there. And you could tell her that when she's drawing or reading or watching TV, she should rest her arm on the pillow inside that box, because it's a magic healing box that will help her arm get better! You could even enlist her help in decorating it, to make the magic just especially for her! You might even be able to make a version that would keep her from rolling over on her arm when she's asleep...
That is a wonderful idea!!!


Also - maybe you can put some sheets up in her bedroom or big boxes and build her a little fort - fill it with her favorite books and let her read - but her fav. stuffed animals in there and let her have a little party....that'll keep her busy
 

brandi

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What about coloring books movies maybe finger paint with her good arm...walking with her letting her point out things she likes and ask you questions...maybe take her to a pet store to look around or a petting zoo...stuff to keep her occupied over the next three weeks. Good Luck to you and her tell her it will be fun to learn with her left arm...and play with her too with the arm you arent good with make it a 'project' for the two of you!
 

weldrwomn

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Drugs...maybe dramamine would work...j/k


Maybe you could let her help make brownies or cupcakes. Also stacking blocks with the left hand might help improve her dexterity with that hand. You could read to her or let her try to paint with her left hand with finger paints.
 
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mbjerkness

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Well cast is back on for another 3 weeks . She has another purple cast. She was in too much pain. I wasn't able to get her back into the doctor. So I took her to the ER. He thinks the bone will straighten itself out.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by mbjerkness

Well cast is back on for another 3 weeks . She has another purple cast. She was in too much pain. I wasn't able to get her back into the doctor. So I took her to the ER. He thinks the bone will straighten itself out.
Poor little thing!
I hope her arm gets better soon! I hate that she started to hurt more. Hopefully that cast will be off soon and her arm will be back to normal!
 

marianjela

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Ok, my suggestion is:

with a lot of distraction

My 5 year old has cancer, he was diagnosed when he was 3, we have spent days on end in the hospital couped up in a tiny little room when he was otherwise feeling fine. The solution to keeping him occupied and not jumping off the walls with an IV attached to his chest is keeping him busy. In the hospitals they have a whole department dedicated to this - it's called Child Life. They are the greatest! Arts & Crafts, movies, games and a little imagination.

I've also used those techniques at home when Josh was isolated to the home and not allowed to go out or have visitors.

As far as her not using her arm. What about a sling? You can buy one and decorate/paint it. Or make one out of material. I'm sure you could even fashion a no-sew one out of the material of her choice.

At any rate, I hope the three weeks goes by fast and it heals pain free!

ETA: I guess I should've read through all the replies first. Sorry the cast had to go back on, but glad you have a little bit more peace of mind and also that it is an awesome purple color!
 

mom of 4

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I'm surprised that the doctor didn't put her in a splint when he took the cast off.
Though with a child that young, our docs around here tend to leave the cast on longer. They feel that kids that young will start using their arm/hand again when they are out of the cast, so they don't worry about delaying their developemnt.
 

j_f_a

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with a great deal of tantrum throwing and vast ammounts of creativity and energy on your part. My 5 year old cousin broke both her legs and had to be kept still...she kept trying to walk on them!
 

kluchetta

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Well, the point is moot at this time, but I was remembering what my daughter's doctor said when she had appendicitis...younger than 9 years of age, they don't really recognize the pain, and the teenagers try to tough it through it. So in his opinion, 9 years (my daughter's age) was the "perfect" age for appendicitis.

Meanwhile, my son broke his femur at the age of 14. He listened to music, watched movies, and generally was a PITA, LOL!
 
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