Radial head subluxations
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(Nursemaids Elbow)
Radial head subluxation, common among toddlers, is caused by traction on the forearm and usually manifests as refusal to move the elbow (pseudoparalysis).
(See Overview of Dislocations.)
In adults, the radial head is wider than the radial neck; consequently, the head cannot fit through the ligaments that tightly surround the neck. However, in toddlers (about 2 to 3 years old), the radial head is no wider than the radial neck and can easily slip through these ligaments (radial head subluxation).
Subluxation results from traction on the forearm, as when a caregiver pulls a reluctant toddler forward or catches the toddler by the wrist during a fall—actions many caregivers do not remember.
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