1. Is Your Baby Crying for No Visible Reason?
Because the ligaments in your baby's arm are loose and the bones in his forearm not fully developed, his elbow can be dislocated without an identifiable incident. Pulling his arm through his sleeve or even his attempt to roll over can cause nursemaid's elbow, although it may not be noticeable at first. If your baby is fussy and unable to be soothed by normal means, check to see whether both his arms are flailing about as he cries. If one of his arms stays tucked close to his abdomen with the palm down, he may have nursemaid's elbow.
2. Does Your Toddler Refuse to Use His Arm?
Toddlers with nursemaid's elbow tend to cry when the elbow initially dislocates and then frequently continue about their business. The elbow won't really swell and the injury is most painful when it first happens. The identifying sign is if she is refusing to use the affected arm. If your toddler is only using one arm to play, won't turn her palm upward and refuses to move her arm except at the shoulder, she may have a "slipped elbow."
3. Is Your Preschooler Complaining of Elbow Pain?
Listen to your preschooler when he whines about his elbow, wrist and shoulder hurting. Though he could just be seeking attention, he could also have dislocated his elbow. Ask him to straighten his arm and turn it with the palm facing up and his thumb outward. If he has nursemaid's elbow, he won't be able to do it, though other movement will be possible.
4. Has Your Child Recently Had Nursemaid's Elbow?
Recurrence of nursemaid's elbow is likely within 1 month of the initial injury, especially in children under the age of 5. Since you've recently seen the symptoms, you can keep your eye out for any of the identifiers you may have missed the first time.
