Active children who run, play and wrestle with their siblings and friends are more likely than sedentary children to complain of forearm pain. Discomfort in the arm between the elbow and fingers may stem from a viral illness, a period of rapid growth or injury. Discuss your child's forearm pain with his pediatrician for diagnosis and treatment advice.
Sprains
A wrist sprain, or the excessive stretching or tearing of the ligaments supporting the wrist, could be the cause of your child's forearm pain. Sprains are common in active children who play sports. Wrist sprains vary in severity, and can often be treated at home with rest, ice, elevation and a compression bandage. Your child's doctor can perform a physical examination on the forearm to determine the extent of pain and tenderness, and may order an X-ray to rule out a fracture. Forearm pain due to a wrist sprain usually resolves within a few weeks.
Fractures
Forearm fractures are breaks in bone, occurring anywhere from the wrist to near the elbow. The ulna and radius bones make up the forearm. Forearm fractures make up nearly half of all bone breaks during childhood. The pain your child experiences may be acute and severe. Your child may lose feeling in her fingers due to a forearm fracture. Casting the forearm is the standard form of treatment; surgery may be required to realign a bone that has become displaced.
Nursemaid's Elbow
Forearm pain in an infant or toddler may be caused by a condition called nursemaid's elbow --- radial head subluxation in medical terminology, Akron Children's Hospital explains. The elbow joint and the radius and ulna do not align properly in a case of nursemaid's elbow, which can result from pulling or swinging a child from the various points on the arm or even, the hospital cautions, from trying to get a squirmy child's arm into her coat sleeve. Your child can develop pain in the forearm and elbow when the arm bones slip away from the elbow joint. Replacing the bones in the proper position is called a reduction, and in some cases can be performed on an outpatient basis.
Considerations
Arm pain in children, particularly without a direct injury, is not common, according to Children's Hospital Colorado. Speak to your child's doctor about forearm pain that lingers or does not seem to be related to a recent injury or illness. More serious medical conditions that can manifest themselves through forearm pain are juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.
