Why you should never swing a child by the arm

“Daddy or mummy please swing me”. A child will always ask this from his or her parents with this look on their face that you will be left with no choice but to succumb to it. But do you know the consequences? You might think that this is a great way to bond with your child, or that if you don’t comply the child start crying.  But Parents may be causing devastating injuries to their children by swinging them by their arms, experts say. Swinging a child by the arms in the park, in the garden or while out for a walk is a game as old as the hills; and youngsters never get tired of it.

Children joints are not completely developed and their ligaments are not really strong. This means that their bone can easily be pulled off from its joint while you are swinging him or her. This is most common to children between the ages of 1 to 4. This type of condition is referred to as “Nurse maid or pulled elbow”. Worryingly for parents, it can also happen when arms are being pulled through sleeves while getting dressed. But games like swinging them by the arms while you're walking are even riskier and should be avoided.

Nursemaid's Elbow is treated by a doctor or nurse putting the bone back in the correct place, which can be momentarily painful. Some children are more prone to their bones being pulled out of joint; and you should definitely not feel guilty if this happens accidentally. The injury can also be caused by pulling a child up by the hands, grabbing their arm quickly and also jerking the arm.

Signs your child may have Nursemaid’s elbow:

According to the Kids Health website, a child might have nursemaid’s elbow if:

·         The child refuses to use an arm. A child won’t be able to use the injured arm without pain. So the arm usually is kept in a fixed, straight position to the child’s side or with a slight bend in the elbow. While the arm is in this fixed position, the child seems to have only mild pain or discomfort.

·         There’s no swelling or deformity. A child with nursemaid’s elbow probably won’t look injured because the injury does not cause the arm to have an obvious deformity or swelling at the elbow.

The website goes on to explain that in some cases, the bone will move back into place on its own, especially when a child does something that moves the joint, like putting on a coat.

But even if you think the bone has moved back into place, it’s still important to see a doctor to make sure that nothing else is wrong with the arm. And remember, when next your child says please swing me, don’t do it no matter how much he or she begs, unless you want to end up in a hospital and having to see your child go through excruciating pains just to get his or her joint fixed back. 

BY: Pupwaya Timothy Dibal