A sling supports an injured arm, shoulder, or collarbone while it heals. Slings can be made of a cloth pocket with a strap, or just cloth. Here's how to use the sling to keep your child comfortable, help their injury heal, and decrease swelling in the hand.
Follow your health care provider's advice for:
- How to use the sling
- When your child needs to wear the sling and if they can take it off for sleeping, bathing, exercises, and cleaning of the sling
- Whether your child should wiggle their fingers or do any other movements or exercises
- Any medicines your child needs for pain
- Any other medical care your child needs for the injury
- When you should follow up
Reminders:
- To help with swelling and keep your child more comfortable, be sure they keep the hand higher than the elbow.
- Check the skin under the straps and at the edges of the sling for blisters, sores, or redness. If the strap rubs the neck, put a cloth between the skin and the strap.
- If the sling gets dirty and your health care provider said it was OK for your child to take the sling off, wash the sling with soap and water, rinse, and let it air dry. If your child needs to keep the sling on, you can use a damp washcloth to clean the sling.
