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Pulled Elbow (Child).

Your child has been treated for a Pulled Elbow. They have been thoroughly and are now considered fit to be discharged. The following instructions will aid their recovery.

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Care Instructions for a Pulled Elbow

Our examination has revealed that your child has a ‘pulled elbow’.

This is not the same thing as a dislocation, but means that one of the bones in the elbow is not lined up, which can happen if your child’s arm gets accidentally pulled.

Diagram of Child’s Elbow Joint

The doctor can usually make the bone go back to its proper place, but this means that he or she has to move the elbow and it may be painful for a short period. Normally, your child will be able to use the arm fairly soon after this.

You should:

Give your child a medicine, such as junior paracetamol to relieve any pain.

You should not:

Pull on your child’s arm, eg, games where you swing your child by their arms or tugging your child along by their arm when you are in a hurry.

Take your child to your nearest Emergency department or telephone us if after 24 hours:

Your child’s elbow is still sore.

Your child is not using the arm.

You are worried about them.

You think that it has happened again.

Please remember

A pulled elbow can happen at any time on either arm, until your child is about 7 or 8 years old. At this time the elbow has grown enough to stop moving out of its Fibrous Ring, so please be careful with your child’s arm.

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