Pediatric Orthopedic Care for Children and Teens
Children and teens move differently than adults, and their bones are still growing while they do it. A sports collision, a stubborn ache after practice, or a bone that isn't developing quite the way you'd expect all call for a doctor who understands how a growing body heals, not just a smaller version of adult orthopedic care.
At Penn Highlands Healthcare, our pediatric orthopedic team treats children and teens for bone, joint, and muscle conditions, separate from the everyday checkups your child's pediatrician handles. Our goal is to get your child back to being a kid: back on the field, back on the playground, and back to sleeping through the night without pain, while making sure you understand what's happening and why at every step.
Conditions We Treat in Children and Teens
Our pediatric orthopedic team treats bone, joint, and muscle conditions in children and teens, including:
- Youth sports injuries, including ACL tears and growth plate injuries
- Broken bones and other childhood fractures
- Overuse injuries like Little League elbow and shoulder
- Scoliosis and other spine curvature
- Hip conditions, including hip dysplasia
- Clubfoot and flat feet
- In-toeing, out-toeing, bowlegs, and knock-knees
- Limping or joint pain without a clear cause
Whenever possible, we start with the most conservative option, like rest, bracing, or physical therapy, and move to surgical treatment only when it's the right call for your child's specific condition. We'll walk you through every option in plain language so you and your child both feel prepared.
Youth Sports Injuries
Young athletes are especially prone to growth plate injuries, since the growing ends of a child's bones are softer and more vulnerable than fully developed adult bone. Our team evaluates youth sports injuries with that difference in mind, from sprains and strains to more serious fractures and ligament injuries, so your young athlete gets a diagnosis and recovery plan built around a still-growing body.
For concussions and other sports medicine concerns, our Sports Medicine team works alongside our pediatric orthopedic providers to coordinate care.
When Should My Child See an Orthopedic Specialist?
Many aches and bumps heal on their own, and your child’s pediatrician can handle most of them. It’s a good idea to see a pediatric orthopedic specialist if your child has:
- A limp that doesn’t go away within a few days
- Pain that wakes them at night or keeps them from playing
- Swelling, warmth, or a joint that won’t move normally
- An injury that hasn’t improved after a week or two of rest
- A spine that looks uneven, or shoulders or hips that don’t line up
- Legs or feet that seem to be developing differently than expected
Orthopedic Surgery
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - DuBois COE
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Penn Highlands Orthopedic Trauma
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Meet Our Pediatric Orthopedic Provider
Dr. Benjamin C. Weimer, DO, is a fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeon who completed his specialized training at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, one of the country's leading pediatric hospitals. He sees patients at Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in DuBois, where he treats children and teens for the full range of pediatric bone, joint, and muscle conditions, from sports injuries to fractures to more complex orthopedic concerns.
Dr. Weimer and our care team take the time to really understand your child, not just their chart, because that's what a community-based health system does best. We're with your family at every step, from the first visit through recovery.
Orthopedic Surgery
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - DuBois COE
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Penn Highlands Orthopedic Trauma
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Find Care Near You
Penn Highlands Pediatric Orthopedic providers bring fellowship-trained pediatric expertise to more complex bone, joint, and muscle concerns.
Schedule an appointment by calling 814-375-6200.
Frequently Asked Questions
A pediatric orthopedic surgeon diagnoses and treats bone, joint, and muscle conditions in children and teens, whose bodies are still growing. That includes everything from sports injuries and fractures to conditions that affect how a child's bones and joints develop, using treatment approaches suited to a growing body rather than an adult one.
Pediatric orthopedic care generally covers children and teens from early childhood through the late teen years, while bones are still growing. If you're not sure whether your child's concern calls for a pediatric orthopedic specialist or a general pediatrician, our team is happy to help you figure out the right next step.
Children's bones are still growing, which changes both how injuries happen and how they're treated. A fracture near a growth plate, for example, needs a different approach than the same injury in an adult, since treatment has to protect future bone growth as well as heal the current injury. Pediatric orthopedic specialists are trained specifically in these differences.
Sports injuries, fractures, and growing pains that don't resolve on their own are among the most common reasons families come to see us. We also see children and teens for joint concerns and soft tissue injuries, like ACL tears, that need a specialist's evaluation.
Not necessarily. We start with the most conservative treatment appropriate for your child's condition, such as rest, bracing, or physical therapy, and only recommend surgery when it's the right option for their specific situation. Your child's doctor will walk you through the reasoning behind any recommendation.
This varies by insurance plan and sometimes by location, so it's worth a quick check with your plan before your child's visit. If you'd rather not track it down yourself, our team can help you figure it out and get your child scheduled.