A trip to the ER, and a well needed upcoming vacation

Posted by Dr. Liz Sims, PT - Redpoint Physical Therapy, Plymouth, MA

My 2 year old may be smart, sneaky, and occasionally manipulative, but she is *not* a faker.  Which is why I was concerned this morning when she continued to hold her elbow and cry this morning while I tried to get her ready for school.  As a PT, I started running through possibilities... the most likely being a "Nursemaid's Elbow", but worst case being an injured growth plate or green stick fracture.10 minutes later, she still wouldn't let me move her arm, so I knew it was a trip to the ER instead of daycare.

Nurse maid's elbow occurs when a child is pulled by the arm.  

 She was a real trooper!  She helped me get her seat belt on, protecting her arm carefully.  She cheerfully sang along to Doc McStuffins' "Time for your check up" song (though, her request for The Wheels on the Bus ended in tears as she couldn't move her arm ):  ).  She was patient and brave in the hospital, and thankfully, the staff in the ER were kind, efficient, and effective.  Confirmation: Nursemaid's Elbow, a dislocation of the head of the radius bone (at the elbow), caused by a traction-type force.  As my husband pulled her up this morning to help me get her dressed, she decided to drop in the opposite direction, and pop!  Out it went!

The treatment was amazingly quick and easy - Dr. Hoffman at BIDMC in Plymouth is my new hero - and she is back to normal... kind of....  No climbing today and taking it really easy the next few days.  And we need to be cautious for the next few years as she is more likely to have the injury again now that the supporting ligaments have been stretched out.  So, a day of rest, it is!

Our first trip to the ER as a family, and we leave without a cast or even a band-aid, and no major meltdowns on my side.  And the prescription?  Snuggles with mom on the couch today!  I wish all ER trips would end this way!

As I have mentioned, and as you can imagine (or as many of you might already know from experience), life with a toddler is exhausting, and at times, physically and mentally assaulting.  That, plus a new business, can be pretty demanding!  So, in order to maintain my sanity and continue to deliver you the best possible care, I will be taking a couple of short vacations in the month of August.  

This will be my last blog of the unofficial summer, but I will be back with new material in early September.  Thank you, faithful readers!  You're the best :)