What should I do if my child dislocates his wrist?

Everyone knows that most children like to play and jump around, which makes accidents more likely to happen. It is common for children to dislocate their wrists due to falls, so parents don't need to be too nervous. You can first reposition the dislocated part and then rest for a period of time.

1. Symptoms of wrist dislocation in children

Put the toy in front of the child and let him reach out to grab it. If he can raise his hands above his head, it means there is no problem. On the other hand, if your child consistently avoids using that arm, or is unable to raise it even when using it, then it is likely dislocated.

2. What to do if your child's wrist is dislocated

Manual reduction: The earlier the manual reduction is performed, the easier it is and the better the effect. However, reduction should be performed by an experienced specialist.

The specific operation method is: hold the child in a sitting position, with the operator facing the child. Flex the elbow 90 degrees and place it at the child's side. The surgeon holds the lower end of the upper arm with one hand to prevent the shoulder joint from rotating and places the thumb on the radial head. Hold the wrist of the affected limb with the other hand and perform forearm supination movements several times in a row. At this time, a crisp, slight snapping sound can be heard or the fingers can be felt bouncing, indicating that the radial head has been repositioned. The child stops crying and can use the affected hand to pick up objects.

For children who have been dislocated for more than 24 hours or have a history of recurrent dislocation, the popping sound or bouncing sensation during reduction is often not obvious due to local swelling, and the pain may not disappear immediately after reduction, but other symptoms can mostly be relieved. At this time, it is advisable to use a neck and wrist strap to fix the elbow at a right angle for about one week.