ds just fell off the sofa...hints and tips for spotting broken limbs please!

[Tigana]

He is nearly 2. Fell off over the arm of the sofa, sideways and landed on his side and his arm.
He cried and fell asleep in my arms soon after - he was tired already, think it contributed to the fall - but not very settled and seems to be guarding the arm he landed on.

Swelling, bruising, pain and reduced movement.

Thanks Ceolas. I'll have to wait until he wakes up and check him them.

The exact same thing happened to my DD when she was 2. She fell off sideways and landed on her arm and was crying for hours until she fell asleep. We took her to GP who thought it might be a fractured wrist so took her to A & E. They x-rayed it and the stupid consultant said she'd fractured her wrist and so the poor lamb had to have it plastered. Then, just as we were about to go home, a different doc, just come onto shift, had seen the x-rays and said it wasn't broken at all and she had a pulled elbow! So the plaster was removed and she had to have it put back into place and then should have had it in a sling for a week or so. She was stubborn though and would only hold it with her other hand! It was fine though and stayed put.
Apparently, before they're 5, the elbow joint can be easily pulled out of the fibrous ring (not the same as dislocation).

If he still guards it, I'd take him to A & E to get it x-rayed.

Oh god...yet another reason (if one were needed!) to hope he is okay! A trip to out of hours GP/A&E does not appeal!

he will just keep wining and crying if he has a break or fracture I suspect.
DD1 fell off the sofa when she was about 13 months and fractured her wrist.
DS fell out of his cot when he was 11 months and fractured his collar bone.

(I do actually look after them...they are just quite clumsy )

I'd go by reduced mobility and pain in the related area.
If you are really worried then trust your instinct and go to A&E. Far better to be checked over and at least you will have peace of mind.

Hopefully by the time he wakes up any residual pain 'just' from landing on the floor will have gone, so if it still hurts it'll be something more significant...yes?

How's ds doing,i hope he is feeling better now.

definitely - you're right - if he's damaged anything, he'll still be crying/moaning and be wary of his arm.

Definitely swelling/bruising.
If he'll let you, just gently feel along the arm and try to move it, make a little game of it if you can.

Luciemule..he had done the same as your dd! Went through examinations and x-rays and more examinations, with no fractures spotted and ds's arm suddenly remarkably moveable without accomapnying squawking ...until a Senior was called for 2nd opinion, wiggled the elbow, ds squawked and voila! Couldn't get it to 'pop' back in there and then so sent home to take calpol and go back on Thursday.
Thanks all!

phew - glad you got your little DS sorted - hospitals are a nightmare when they're little - it's so hard for them to understand.
Once he gets it popped back in on Thursday, it will still be tender for a week or so.

ps - the leaflet the hospital gave me said NEVER swing children..1....2....3.....whheeeeeeetc by the wrists. That's the easiest thing to cause pulled elbows apparently! My MIL took great offence when I asked her nicely not to do it and told her why. She just said "oh I don't believe that!"