10-year-old Kylie Duggan started her summer with a break — literally.
And for kids, breaking a bone during the summer can feel like the end of the world.
“I was roller skating and trying to a trick I didn’t even learn yet, kind of being a daredevil,” said Kylie.
Instead of landing on her feet, she landed on her left arm.
But with new technology, wearing a cast does not have to slow you down.
“The technology has gotten significantly better, they’re easier to dry, they’re easier to put on,” said Dr. Michael Beckish with Pediatric Orthopedics.
Dr. Beckish says he treats 50 to 100 fractures per week during the summer, spending a great deal of time putting casts on and taking them off.
20 years ago, you had to wrap casts up in trash bags to keep it from getting wet.
“It was a miserable experience. You had a plaster cast put on. It took 20-25 minutes to put it on, you had to wait for it to dry,” Dr. Beckish explained.
But now, Beckish says the inside liner is water resistant. And the padding and cast itself are waterproof.
Add 16 color options, and wearing a cast just got a whole lot more fun.
“That is all that is important to a kid is they can draw on it and they can get it wet,” said Dr. Beckish.
“If you could just put me in the ocean, I would stay there,” said Kylie, sporting her highlighter yellow cast.
Experts say waterproof casts are usually more expensive and not all insurance companies cover the added cost.
