As a parent we learn so much due to our children. Like how many ways they can hurt themselves.
Anya and I were innocently playing on the couch. I was holding her arms above her head while she was laying down….attempting to keep her from sticking her fingers up her nose. She thought it was quite the fun game, and we were laughing. I let go of her hands and she was squirming to get up, so I pulled her up. Then she started crying and holding her arm. She wouldn’t move her right arm at all.
Now, as a parent you can usually tell when they are just trying to make you feel sorry for them and when they are really hurt. It only took me a few moments to figure out that she really was hurt. We put some ice on her arm, and she wanted it on her forearm, so not by a joint which seemed odd. She was crying anytime she moved it, and we tried to get her to tell us where it hurt. Then she started getting the chills, so I got a blankie and put her in her car seat.
We got to the Urgent Care clinic and she was good on the ride over (about 5 minutes away), but anytime I tried to move her right arm she would start crying and saying, “Owie, owie, owie!”. Of course, I felt awful, because I figured it was something I had done that had caused it. I know how easy it can be for a little one to break an arm or dislocate joints at this age.
We got in there and I started on the paperwork and sat her down with her beloved blankie. After about 2 minutes she started to move her arm again and by the time we got in to see the doctor, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong. She was using it, moving it and not crying anymore. Thank goodness!
The doctor sat down and I told her what happened and she said it was probably Nursemaid Elbow. Basically, a ligament gets dislocated and trapped, and it hurts a lot. Our poor baby! So, just a warning, just by pulling them up from a supine position can cause this. It wasn’t anything different than we have done so many other times, and this time she must have just been twisted in the wrong position and it caused this.
They are so fragile, our little ones.
Aww, poor thing. I’ve heard of that, and it’s supposed to be very painful. I’m glad she’s feeling better.
Thanks Alissa! I knew it was bad when she kept crying. Usually if she bumps herself she cries a little and she’s better. She also wasn’t sucking her thumb or holding her blankie. That’s when I was really concerned.