Toddler with Achey Arms

Yes I've heard of it. My cousins first son had the same thing.I just happened to be holding him while she put on his coat at 10 months when he had his first episode with it. I felt so responsible. Then we found out that it happened all the time. Well at least once every few months.My cousin got very good at putting it back in place with-out a trip to the ER.Some kids never sleep,some sleep anywhere anytime,some have trick elbows,all a part of being a parent.Enjoy the ride,it all ends too quick.

I experience the growing pain issues with my kids...I don't remember how young they were when the first one was complained about, but I do know they have complained at age 4.

C.

Yep! My son at 3 did the same thing. It didn't come and go so quickly though. We saw an orthopedic dr. He had no clue. We were sent for blood work, no answer there. The orth. dr. sent us down to Children's. They initially had no answer for us. They admitted him for an MRI. This was the most terrifying thing as a parent. The MRI turned up nothing. This was a good thing, but also we had no anwers. We left, what I considered the best of the best drs. in our area with no real explanation. What they told us their best guess was that he had a virus that attacked the nerves in his neck and arms causing severe pain. We waited the 14 days it should take to get rid of a virus and poof~day 14 he could move his arms again with no pain. He had done it after a week and them put them back up against his chest. His also switched arms every day. He'd use one one day and the other the next. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen. He's now fine now and never had it happen again (more than a year later). Good luck. The dr.s we saw were Dr. Lorin Brown in Munster, IN and he sent us to Dr. Swisher at Children's. He is a neurologist. Hopefully you won't need them. Best of the best to you!

nurse's elbow is real and pretty painful. i worked at a preschool where one of the little boys had it. his mom said thier doctor said it goes away around 3+ years. i'd do some research on it and seek your dr's advice on how to help your son. i can't remember what we did for this one little guy. good luck.

To prevent nurse's elbow(which is very common in small children) pick your son up from under his arm pits, grabbing his body. If you pull him by his hands or forearm he can get nurse's elbow. Be careful when holding his hand while walking together also.

Hi N.,

My daughter who is now 5 1/2 suffered from Nursemaid's elbow for many years. Hers were always from a little pull on the arm or just landing on it wrong. We've been to the ER several times for it and the Dr. just popped it back into place and she was smiling in seconds. The dr. said that she would eventually grow out of it. So far, so good. Nothing in the past 8 months or so. The dr. also said to keep her from doing any type of hanging (like monkey bars)until she is older. Just wanted to pass that on! Good luck!

Hi N.,

My son who is 27 months just had "nurses arm". He was at daycare and we think he was playing ring around the rosey and during it he and the others got a little wild and thats when it was pulled. He also was holding his forearm, we thought it was his wrist. We took him to the emergency room and the nurse pulled his arm a certain way and put it back in place. It was truly amazing because he was fine 2 minutes later like nothing was ever wrong. I've heard that this is quite common for this age.

Good Luck,
Jackie

Hi N.,

About a month ago by three in a half year old boy was having pain in his leg. He was in so much pain he wouldn't walk and so I took him to the doctor. The doc checked him out and didn't see/feel anything so he offered him a sucker in hopes my son would be so excited he would get off the table and walk normal. He didn't. Our pediatrician had us go see an Orthopedic sports medicine doctor to get checked out. When we finally got in to see that docotr( the same day) my son had miracuously been cured and was runnng around! I was quite confused. The ortho did not see or feel anything and said since he was moving around with no problem to not worry about it. So... I guess he had growing pains. My mother inlaw said that happened to my husband when he was little.

Take Care,

M.

What you are thinking of is actually called nursemaid's elbow. Termed so because nursemaids could hold a toddler's hand and pull to pick him/her up, dislocating the elbow pretty easily. Goggle it and you will find more info.

My son was diagnosed with that when he was about 3.From what I could gather its kind of like having overly loose joints....the ligaments get out of wack easily and have to be popped or put back into place. This happened a few times before he seemed to just grow out of it.....When he would hurt his arm, I would place it in front of his body,bent at the elbow...and kept it warm. Tylenol was a last resort...after nap or bedtime...pain had passed.I would also make sure he isnt hyper extending his arm at all for a while...does he hang from monkey bars? or play tug or war with playmates ??etc?

I think it is called "nursery elbow"- my son had this twice when he was around 2- basically I think the elbow comes out of the socket. My doctor said some kids are more prone to it than others. I had been holding my son's hand at the mall and we think he tried to pull away and that is how it happened- same thing- I took him to the emergency room but by the time they could see us it had popped itself back in. It only happened twice and now he is a happy, healthy seven year old-

Hi N.,
When my son was between the ages of 2 and 3, he had nursmaid's elbow at least 6 times. It was awful becuase it is extremly painful for them and we had to go to the ER each time. The dr would move his arm very carefully a certain way and get the ligaments back in place and immediatly like magic the pain goes away. instantly! The good news is that they will grow out of it. Once it happens one time, the ligaments get stretched and it will happen frequently if you are not careful. Once his bones start to grow a little it wont happen anymore. Just be really careful, especially when you are holding his hand. Let everyone who cares for him know about it too.
A.

N., the same thing happened to my son, but it was is one leg that hurt him. He was 6 and I said it must be a growing pain or pulled muscle. I waited a couple of days and it continued so I took him to the Dr. He took and MRI of his leg. We went home and the Dr. called me that afternoon to bring my son into the hospital to be admitted. He had to be put on IV antibodics for a bone infection in his leg. I have'nt a clue how he got something like that but once he was on the antibodics within a day he was almost 100%. If you son continues to complain call the Dr again and maybe they could run some test just to make sure nothing else is going on. Good Luck and I hope he feels better.

One of my girls has something a bit similar. When she was younger she would complain her ear hurt. She would not even let you touch it. I kept taking her in but no infection. It seemed to be just there-maybe the way she lay since it was mainly in the morning or after nap. Currently she has problems with her knees and legs. She has complained her legs hurt for several years now and whenever we would go to the doc, it was fine and no problems were found. Well, this year one day she was crying so hard it was heartbreaking. I got her into the doc and they even took xrays. Everything is fine. There is a name for it but I am drawing a total blank. It does have to do with growth. One day she hurts and then she is fine. She does have problems kneeling sometimes but not so bd right now. They say she will outgrow it. i know this doesn't solve your dilema but I though I would let you know there are others out there with mysteries of childhood. I would day that if it hurts for just a little bit and the doctor has checked it out, it probably is growing pains.

I would talk to a pediatric orthopedic to rule out anything serious. Most likely? Nothing. But I would never accept "growing pains" as an answer.

N.
My daughter had the Nurses elbow but she had a problem wiht all her joints. They would partially or totally dislocate. Hers was very severe but went away as she was older and strengthend up her muscles and it helped keep bones in place.. It is very common but if it does happen to often I recommend seeeing a pediatric orthopedic doctor to teach you and your son how to put joints back in place right away. My daughter would fall and disclocate he elbow but by three she could put it back in place on her own.

My toddler got nurse's elbow when he was about 9 months old. It can occur easily with lifting or even getting your child dressed. It essentially is when your child's elbow dislocates. When my son had it he wouldn't lift his arm and he was very whiny. It was obvious to me that something wasn't right. They say once it happens can happen more easily in that arm. I would say if it happens again just look at how he is moving his body and if he refuses to use that arm it may be nurse's elbow.

My daughter did something similiar on two occassions. Both times were when I had taken her hand to help her off the floor. When we mentioned it to the doctor, he said that toddlers tend to have their elbows/shoulders slide out of place. You have two options - allow him to move slowly and it will finally fall back in place or using a movement I can't really show you through typing, turn the arm in certain manner in order to pop the joints back in place. It is of course very painful, but quickly cures the problem. You might ask your doctor if that is a possibility and have him show how to slide the joint(s) back into place.

Good luck!

My daughter had nurse's elbow on one occasion. It was something that the doctor had to reset. It didn't just set itself back in place. I know if they have it once they are prone to having it again, but like I said, I don't think it fixes itself. I think it is something that you are the doctor have to "reset."

N., Have your pediatrics office do some simple blood work on him just to make sure that all his counts are normal. If that all comes out fine and this pain continues I would go and see a bone and joint Dr. I brought my son last year when he was two to a bone and joint Dr. on Waukegan Ave in Morton Grove. He was walking with a limp and complained of pain. They were great! Everything turned out fine. They chalked it up that the cold that he previously had may have settled in his joints.(a viral thing) After about two months, things were normal again.