53 children with fractures of the proximal or middle third of the lower arm and who were treated conservatively have been reviewed between 5 and 13 years after the accident. In 23% of the patients with fractures of the middle third of the arm, the results were unsatisfactory or poor. As the spontaneous ability correct in the intermediate third of the forearm is apparently less than in the proximal and distal thirds close to the epiphysis an axially corrected reduction should be aimed at in all cases. If this cannot be achieved by conservative means, then surgical intervention is necessary even in children.