You’re Pulling My Elbow!

After reading about Dear Beautiful Boy and his pulled elbow I have been paranoid about it happening to Bob. I had never heard of it before. Shortly after reading about the injury it happened to my friends daughter. This made me realise just how common it was.

Bob was absolutely fine and then, all of a sudden, she refused to use her left arm. When I encouraged her to use it she could move it but she cried every time. Although I was aware of how easily a pulled elbow could happen, I thought that there would have to be a specific incident that caused it so I wondered if this was something else.

We took Bob to A & E and as soon as we described her symptoms they said that it sounded like a pulled elbow. When I said that I didn’t know when she could have done it they said that the slightest thing could cause it. Even rolling over in bed.

They said that it was easy to fix but that Bob would scream and they took us into a sound proof room so that we didn’t scare the children in the waiting room. I sat Bob on my knee and braced myself. The nurse took hold of her arm and bent it in a certain way. Bob moaned as her elbow popped back in but that was all! She was so brave!!!

They asked us to go into the waiting room and play, to make sure that she had full use of her arm. It was magically better! She was playing as if nothing had happened!

I am glad that I was aware of (paranoid about) pulled elbows as it made me realise what it could be and it stopped me panicking. I didn’t realise how easy it could happen so I thought that it was worth sharing this with you. I am surprise that more information isn’t available if it happens as often as they say.

Pulled elbow can’t always be prevented. Obviously if your child falls the last thing you are going to do is let go of there hands. It is good to be aware of it though as it might make you save the game ‘A Leg & A Wing’ for when they are older.