Chest Wall Bruise (Contusion) (Child)

Home care

• Your child’s doctor may prescribe medicines for pain or swelling. Follow the doctor’s instructions for giving these medicines to your child. Don't use additional medicines or other pain medicines without first talking with the doctor.

• Allow your child to rest as needed. Give pain medicine before an activity or sleeping at night.

• Change a sling, tape, or dressings as advised by the doctor.

• Position your child so that they are as comfortable as possible.

• Follow the doctor’s instructions for putting ice or heat on the injury.

• Have your child hold a pillow against the chest to ease pain when breathing and coughing.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s doctor as advised.

Special notes to parents

• A child’s chest wall is very flexible. During an injury, more force may be placed on the internal organs, such as the lungs and heart, than on the chest wall bones. As a result, a child’s chest wall may look fine even if there are serious internal injuries. So always get your child medical care for a serious blow to the chest wall.

• After being hurt in a car accident or by a fall, your child may have fears and nightmares about the injury. This can last for several months or many years. If the fear affects your child’s ability to function, talk to their doctor. Therapy or other help may be needed.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child's doctor if your child has:

• Pain that continues or gets worse and is not relieved by pain medicine.

• Swelling or bruising that doesn’t go away or gets worse.

• Signs of infection, such as increased redness or swelling, pain that gets worse, or bad-smelling fluid leaking from a wound.

Call 911

Call 911 right away if your child has:

• Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, or fast breathing.

• Fainting.