Nursemaid's elbow is a partial dislocation at the elbow joint. Nursemaid's elbow is also known as a radial (RAY dee al) head subluxation (sub lux AY shun).SkiptoContentLocationsEmergencyUrgentCareInThisSectionNursemaid’selbowisapartialdislocationattheelbowjoint.Nursemaid’selbowisalsoknownasaradial(RAYdeeal)headsubluxation(subluxAYshun).Ithappenswhenaligamentintheelbowjointbecomespinched.Aligamentisabandoftissuethatconnectsbone(Picture1).Itismostoftencausedwhenthechildispickedupbyhisorherhands.Itcanalsohappenifthechildpullshishandorarmoutofanadult’shand.Theinjuryoccursmostofteninchildrenunderage6.SignsofNursemaid’sElbowUsually,thereisnorednessorswellingonthearm.Thechildmaycomplainofpaininthewrist,elboworforearm,butcannotpointtoanyoneareaofseverepain.Thechildwilloftenavoidusingtheinjuredarm.Sometimesheorshewillholdthearmlimplyathisside.Donotforcethearmtomove,thatmaycausemoredamageinthejoint.Itisimportanttotellyourchild’smedicalpractitionerifyouthinkyourchildhasfallenonhiselboworhadablowtothearm.Includeallthedetailsoftheinjury.TreatmentThepractitionerwilluseoneormoremethodstoputthebonebackintoplace.Aftertheboneisputbackintoplace,thechildmaystillbeafraidtomovethearm.Wemayaskyoutoofferyourchildatoyordrinktoseeifheorshecanmovethearmwithoutdifficulty.ThepractitionermaysuggestthatyougivethechildmedicinesuchasTylenol?ifneeded,tohelpwithpainortenderness.Usually,withinafewminutesthechildwillbeabletomovethearmbetter.Sometimesthepractitionerwilluseasplintforashorttime.Inthefirstfewweeksaftertheinjury,thereisanincreasedriskoftheelbowsubluxingagain.Itisimportanttomanageyourchild’sactivitiestopreventthisfromhappening.PreventionUsebothhandsandgraspthechildcarefullyunderthearmsaroundthetrunk(Picture2).Neverliftachildbythearms.Teachpeoplewhocareforyourchildtowatchcarefullyifthechildpullsawayfromthemwhiletheyareholdinghisorherhand.Otherchildrenshouldnotbeallowedtograbyourchildbythehandtopullhimorheralong.Ifyoususpectanursemaid’selbow,itisimportanttohaveyourchildtreatedrightawaytoavoidt