home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
ftp.stepware.com
/
ftp.stepware.com.tar
/
ftp.stepware.com
/
arp.hqx
/
arp.dmg
/
AceReader Pro
/
DrillText
/
# Warm-up Drill Text
/
5 Columns (text).txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
2003-08-11
|
6KB
|
81 lines
If you're like most kids,
you've probably broken a bone
before. Or you know someone
else who has. Have you
seen a cast before? Do
you know how casts work?
What they're made of? Whether
it's OK to draw on
them? Read this article to
find out all about casts.
Think of a cast as
a big bandage that has
two layers. There is a
soft cotton layer. It rests
next to the skin. The
hard outer layer prevents the
broken bone from moving. Sometimes
you can choose how your
cast looks. You can pick
cool colors or patterns. Plaster
casts are usually white. They
are made from plaster of
Paris. You may have used
this for school art projects.
Plaster of Paris is a
heavy white powder. When it's
mixed with water, it forms
a thick paste that gets
hard fast. Fiberglass casts are
made of fiberglass. It is
a plastic material. It can
be shaped. Fiberglass casts come
in lots of colors. If
you're lucky, the doctor may
let you pick the color.
These casts are lighter and
stronger than plaster casts. You
don't want to get your
cast wet. Water will cause
the cast to become loose
or come off. If you
take a bath, you have
to cover the cast with
a plastic bag. Luckily, some
casts are also waterproof. This
means you can get them
wet without ruining the cast.
So you can take a
shower or a bath without
having to protect the cast
with a plastic bag or
sleeve. The soft padding beneath
is made of waterproof material.
The top layer is made
of fiberglass. With this type
of cast, you might even
be able to swim! The
cast may be on your
arm. If so, you may
be given a sling to
help you support and carry
it. A sling is a
wide piece of cloth with
straps. The straps go around
your neck. They are attached
to the cloth that goes
around your arm. You may
have broken your leg. If
so, you might get crutches
to help you walk. You
may have broken a bone
falling down or tripping. When
you break a bone, the
broken pieces can have sharp
edges. When you move the
broken area, the sharp edges
can move and cause pain.
Your doctor will make sure
that all the pieces of
your broken bone are set