Caring for a child who may have fragile bones (2202)
Key points below
What does fragile bones mean?
Fragile bones are bones that have a greater risk to break (fracture) than normal bones. Many things increase the risk for having fragile bones. Your child’s nurse, dietitian, or doctor can tell you why your child is at risk for breaking bones.How do I move my child in their crib or on a flat surface?
Always be careful and gentle when you hold or move your child.
1. Slide your open hand and forearm under the child to support their head, back and butt.
2. Place your other hand on the child’s chest and belly. Support your child’s arms and legs by wrapping your hands around them. You can also use another caregiver to help support your child between two hands.
3. Look at your child’s fingers and toes to ensure they will not catch on anything. Do not let their body, blanket or clothing touch the crib.
How do I pick up and hold my child?
Always be careful and gentle when you hold or move your child. Do not lift from under their arms.
Holding upright at either shoulder:
1. Bend over child lying on back so caregiver’s shoulder touches child.
2. Slide one open hand under child’s back and head and the other under child’s bottom.
3. Lift child onto shoulder while straightening into upright position.
Cradling in either arm:
1. Place one hand with fingers wide apart under child’s head and body.
2. Place other hand with fingers wide apart under child’s buttocks and back.
3. Use forearm to support the child’s arms and legs. Do not let arms and legs dangle.
4. Lean in close to child and gently lift towards chest.
How do I feed and burp my child?
Make sure to pay attention to where your child’s arms and legs are.
- Keep arms in front of the caregiver.
- Place legs in a natural position.
- When burping, slowly sit your child upright and gently rub their back or tap softly.
How do I change my child’s diaper?
This can be done with 1 or 2 people. How you support the child will be different based on how many caregivers there are. Do not lift the child by their ankles when changing a diaper.
1-person diaper change:
1. Slide clean diaper under butt before opening dirty diaper.
2. Support legs by using blanket rolls to prop legs and avoid flopping.
3. Lift under hips and wipe butt clean.
4. Take out dirty diaper and gently lay legs back on surface.
2-person diaper change:
1. Slide clean diaper under butt before opening dirty diaper.
2. One person will support legs by cradling in arms and avoid flopping.
3. Second person will lift under hips and wipe butt clean.
4. Take out dirty diaper and gently lay legs back on surface.
How do I dress or undress my child?
Always be careful and gentle when you hold or move your child. Do not pull arms and legs through sleeve or pants.
- Protect fingers and toes from being caught in sleeves or pants.
- Dress in loose clothing with wide openings if possible.
- Scrunch up sleeves and pant legs to put clothing on or off.
- Gently slide the clothing up or down your child’s arms and legs.