Question
A 15-month-old baby twisted their arm, and the doctor diagnosed it as a shoulder subluxation. After reset, the child still couldn’t grasp or lift their hand. Subsequent X-rays still showed subluxation, and the doctor indicated that the arm had been realigned after a second reset. However, when the baby went home, they still couldn’t grasp or lift their arm, and would cry upon touching it. Is this because the doctor did not fully reset or because the arm’s nerve was injured?
Answer
Generally speaking, babies of this age are more prone to recurrent partial shoulder dislocations due to the incomplete development of their small annular ligaments. A successful reset is indicated by the baby being able to lift their arm and grasp objects on their own. Typically, doctors can feel when reset is successful. If the baby still cannot lift their arm and cries after reset, it is very likely that there has been a recurrence of partial dislocation, possibly habitual. It is recommended to properly immobilize the baby’s arm after reset and avoid pulling or tugging on the baby’s arm during daily activities.