As a parent, you’ll need to oversee the care of the cast to avoid re-injury, discomfort or infection. This means keeping the cast clean and dry, checking for cracks or breaks in the cast, refraining from putting powders or lotions inside the cast, covering the cast while your child is eating (to prevent spills and crumbs from entering the cast), encouraging your child to move his or her fingers or toes to promote circulation and discouraging your child from inserting objects under the cast to scratch the skin. If itchiness becomes a problem, you can use a hairdryer placed on a cool setting to blow air under the cast and cool down the hot, itchy skin. If your child is in a body cast, you may need to provide him or her with a bedpan or portable urinal.
Follow these tips for preventing infection or discomfort for a child in a body cast:
- Keep the genital area as clean and dry as possible to prevent skin irritation.
- Use a diaper or sanitary napkin around the genital area to prevent leakage or splashing of urine.
- Place toilet paper inside the bedpan to prevent urine from splashing onto the cast or bed.