What Does the Doctor Do?

To treat the broken bone, the doctor needs to know which kind of fracture it is. That's where X-rays come in handy. X-rays give the doctor a map of the fracture so that he or she can set the bones back in their normal position.

With breaks in larger bones or when a bone breaks in more than two pieces, the doctor may need to put in a metal pin - or pins - to help set it. For this operation, you'll get some medicine so you'll be asleep and unable to feel any pain. When your bone has healed, the doctor will remove the pin or pins.

After your bone has been set, the next step is usually putting on a cast, the special bandage that will keep the bone in place for the 1 to 2 months it will take for the break to mend. Casts are made of bandages soaked in plaster, which harden to a tough shell (that's why they last so long!).

Sometimes casts are made of fiberglass or plastic - and some are even waterproof, which means you can still go swimming and get them wet! And sometimes they come in cool colors or patterns that you can choose.

Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/broken_bones.html