Growth Plate Fractures | Testing & Diagnosis

• When your child arrives at the emergency room, a doctor will check to see if the affected area is swollen, warm, or has a visible deformity, like crookedness or broken skin. 
• The doctor will X-ray the area to determine the degree of the fracture, whether the bone has been displaced or moved and what other testing, imaging, or treatment might be necessary.
• Because there can sometimes be a stretching of the nerves during an injury, the doctor may do a neurological exam by asking your child to wiggle her fingers or toes.
• The doctor may also put pressure on different areas around the injury to gauge soreness.

If your child is seen at Boston Children’s Hospital after already being seen in another emergency room, the doctor may request to see the previous X-rays, or re-do X-rays to make sure that nothing has changed.