Symptoms of baby's dislocated wrist, how to reset it quickly

Under normal circumstances, the baby can raise both hands above the head. If the child always avoids using the arm, or cannot raise it even if using it, the possibility of dislocation is very high. Timely examination and reduction will be more effective, but it should be performed by an experienced specialist.

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.

It is worth noting that: if the baby's arm is motionless but there is no pain, you can use a triangular bandage or cloth to slightly fix the dislocated part, and then seek medical attention immediately; but if the baby feels pain when moving his arm, or his arm hangs down limply, he needs to be sought for emergency treatment by a doctor immediately. When the baby is dislocated, do not move the baby's affected limb at will to avoid causing secondary injury to the baby's affected part during the movement. First fix the affected part and then apply ice, and go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

After the radial head is repositioned, fixation is generally not required, but parents should be reminded that dislocation is recurring and habitual, and once it happens, it is likely to recur in the future. Never pull the child's arm suddenly by lifting objects or change the child's clothes with rough movements, so as to avoid dislocation from happening again and forming a habitual dislocation.

3. Prevention methods for children’s dislocation

When adults interact with babies, they should avoid unilateral pulling movements. It is important to note that once a baby has had a dislocation, it will happen repeatedly. Therefore, if the baby has a history of dislocation, parents should avoid using too much force on the same part when playing with the baby or having physical contact with the baby.