While visions of CPS danced in my head

A trip to the ER

Published on June 10, 2006 By lifehappens In Blogging

I'm a good mom. I love my kids and as you may have noticed from a previous article, the worst threat is to "beat you with a pickle". So when my 18 month old daughter woke up and couldn't move her left arm, I was concerned to say the least.

I racked my brain to figure out what might have happened to her. The only thing I could think of was last night. After a bath, we chase her around and "catch" her with the towel to dry her off. Well, last night durring the game, she suddenly burst into tears and cried. Nothing I did calmed her down. My poor baby finally settled into a whimpery-whiney mode and told em she wanted to go to bed. I was a little worried at first, but when she stopped crying and went to bed, I didn't think about it too much.

And thin at 6:30 this morning, she woke up fussy and didn't want to move her arm. I had visions of taking her to the Dr and CPS storming in. I got to the walk-in clinic and as if to justify my fears, the nurse on duty pulled me over. "I'm sorry but you have to take her to the ER. We don't have the facilities to care for her." *huh?!* "They will need x-rays and social work. We don't deal with that"

Then to drive the point in, she called over and then escorted me to the ER (What? So I wouldn't run away?) The screening nurse was nice and told me it seemed like a case of "Nursemaid's Elbow". Basically, they thought her elbow was dislocated. Ahhhhh! Now they really must think I hurt my baby! But they wanted x-rays to be sure before treating her.

X-rays on a baby are not ever easy, but when they have to pull her arm out and it hurts THAT bad. Well, she just broke down and sobbed. She didnt' stop crying for 20 min after we finally left X-ray. The doc saw us in the waiting room chairs and came over to look. So that set off a whole new round of screaming and sobbing. They gave her some motrin for the pain and set us in a freezing waiting room.

20 min after that, she shifted and then started moving her arm. Fisrt she wiggled her fingers, and then a few min later she pointed to the door ("Let's go, mom.") i encouraged her to point at some things, touch body parts and to give me a high five. Everything seemed to be in working order. Wheew.

Turns out that the doctor had popped it back in when we were out in the chairs, but the shock of popping it back upset her far longer than the actual pain had been going on. No calls to CPS were made and they cut us loose.

I looked it up onliine and realized that abuse would have likely dislocated a shoulder first. Link This link says that..."Nursemaid's elbow is a common condition in young children and generally affects children under five. It occurs when a child is pulled up too hard by the hand or wrist.

Nursemaid's elbow is often seen after a person lifts a child by one arm up a curb or high step. The child generally begins to cry immediately and refuses to use the arm. The child holds the arm in a slightly flexed position (slightly bent at the elbow) against the abdomen. The child will move the shoulder, but not the elbow. Often, the child will stop crying as the immediate pain subsides, but will continue to refuse to move the elbow."

So it fits. It's not ususally thought of as a sign of abuse and it's likely that hers was caused by the 50 or so games of "ring around the rosy" with her 4 year old brother. He was yaniking and spinning her around all day. She had fun and enjoyed it, but I made them stop when she started to cry. I wrapped her in the towel and probably re-injured the elbow by causing pressure on it? I may never know for sure.

But I do know that I'm a good mom and I didn't do anything wrong that caused her pain.

Comments

MasonM

on Jun 10, 2006

I'm glad the kid is ok.

I'm all for protecting children from abusive parents, but there is something seriously wrong with a system that makes pefectly good, nonabusive parents fearful every time a kid gets hurt. Let's get real here, kids get hurt all the time, it's part of being a kid.

If Social Services got called in every time I got hurt as a kid they wouldn't have had time to do anything else

lifehappens

on Jun 10, 2006

Glad your little one is ok, and equally glad to know that CPS didn't interrogate ya.

Thanks

I'm all for protecting children from abusive parents, but there is something seriously wrong with a system that makes pefectly good, nonabusive parents fearful every time a kid gets hurt. Let's get real here, kids get hurt all the time, it's part of being a kid.

Well, if a kid gets hurt playing, that's one thing, but I had no real idea how she got hurt. She is less then 20lbs, tiny and petite. My fear was that if I couldn't explain how it happened, they would look at the injury and assume I had yanked on her arm. I agree with you as a rule, but seeing as I came from an abusive background and lived in a foster home (best thing to happen to me) I automatically assume people will think the worst.

If Social Services got called in every time I got hurt as a kid they wouldn't have had time to do anything else

CPS was called on my brother when he was 2 or 3. He was always covered in big bruises and cuts. At this time we didn't have physical abuse at home. But CPS came in and wanted to interview my parents. My dad calmly said, "I think you need to see something first" and he called, "ADAM! Come downstairs!"
*BANG* Thump Thump Thump (down the stairs) *Crash* (on the landing) Thump Thump Thump (rest of the stairs) BANG (running into the wall at the foot of the stairs) thump thump thump (down the hall) *surprise at seeing new person....." CRASH! (into the coffee table where he cut his head) "Who are you?" (ignoring the blood)
She said, "thank your for your time. Sorry to bother you." Packed up and left.

MasonM

on Jun 10, 2006

Sounds about right. I was pretty wreckless as a kid myself.

Dr Guy

on Jun 10, 2006

Make sure Gideon sees this one!

My mother (and that was 30 years ago) had the same fear. Why? My younger brother broke his arm one christmas (he fell down the stairs - I was there - I think our sister pushed him), and then the next, he got a finger smashed in the door! (Yes, that was my mother, but she did not see him behind the door - sorry, she is not SuperGirl). So yea, they questioned her long and hard! (even tho he was 6 of 7 and the only problem with the older 5 was a broken collar bone - which occured when she was out with her husband!).

Sorry if I have no sympathy for the CPS or respect. People who are looking for validation of their existance will use any excuse. I am glad it did not come to that for you.

AngelaMarie88

on Jun 10, 2006

CPS was called on my brother when he was 2 or 3. He was always covered in big bruises and cuts. At this time we didn't have physical abuse at home. But CPS came in and wanted to interview my parents. My dad calmly said, "I think you need to see something first" and he called, "ADAM! Come downstairs!"*BANG* Thump Thump Thump (down the stairs) *Crash* (on the landing) Thump Thump Thump (rest of the stairs) BANG (running into the wall at the foot of the stairs) thump thump thump (down the hall) *surprise at seeing new person....." CRASH! (into the coffee table where he cut his head) "Who are you?" (ignoring the blood)She said, "thank your for your time. Sorry to bother you." Packed up and left.

I second that: that's freaking hilarious!!!

How un-funny that she hurt her elbow just days after your article, "so help me I'll skin you alive!" Which was pretty funny. It's great to have a sense of humor about parenting and it's obvious that you're a great mom. But how un-funny for the timing; I see that angle of your concern.

A short while ago I posted something to my other blog that made fun of how a parent might treat a child who swallowed a coin. (I borrowed it from someone at JU but it wasn't plagiarism). Parents' reactions to a child swallowing a coin might range from "taking the kid to the ER right away" to simply making a mental note to deduct it from the kid's allowance (funny!).

I swore then & there that if anything like that happened to my son I'd take him speedily to the ER.

Well whaddya know, a few days later he DID swallow a coin (or so I thought). Ahh, the powers of suggestion. And no, we didn't go to the ER. It was too dang far away and my son seemed just fine. Thankfully he truly was OK.

Kinda makes me want to stop joking around when it comes to raising kids....but we really need some dry humor now & then, it's my favorite kind!

I'm really glad Maddie is OK...and it's very impressive to "hear" her verbally communicating at such a young age. I know kids are expected to be talking at that age...but my son sure wasn't!

(((HUGS))) You're an awesome mommy! .....And plumber, yoga instructor, scrapbooker, fix-it-lady extraordinaire.....

MasonM

on Jun 10, 2006

"so help me I'll skin you alive!"

I heard a really funny one the other day. "I'll slap you so hard you'll land in another family"

Too funny

lifehappens

on Jun 11, 2006

Make sure Gideon sees this one!

I actually think Gid is the one who made me so parinoid (don't tell him!)

Kinda makes me want to stop joking around when it comes to raising kids

Nah, you gotta laugh or you will explode.

I'm really glad Maddie is OK...and it's very impressive to "hear" her verbally communicating at such a young age. I know kids are expected to be talking at that age...but my son sure wasn't!

Just wait till this one is born. I think the second one talks faster because they hear the other kid talking. Connor was still signing at this age. Maddy is too impatient for that! I guess she is my kid!

I heard a really funny one the other day. "I'll slap you so hard you'll land in another family"

That's a good one. I laughed till I stopped.

Tova7

on Jun 11, 2006

My son snapped both bones in his forearm around 1 year old using the "Stand up Baby Ball Blaster" by Fisher Price.

CPS, cops, all of it interviewed us in the ER and then had to xray EVERY bone in his body to make sure we weren't beating him. When they couldn't get the xray staff in they were telling me I couldn't take him home, he'd have to stay overnight! I was nursing and freaked out. My husband was livid.

But in the end after a quick social worker interview we were cleared.

Fisher Price modified that toy.

AngelaMarie88

on Jun 15, 2006

My son snapped both bones in his forearm around 1 year old using the "Stand up Baby Ball Blaster" by Fisher Price.

No way! We had that toy for awhile...It makes me wonder which version we had...the original or modified. Ours seemed safe enough...~Edit~ I just googled that toy and I found your story. Yikes. Glad your hubby was there to see the accident and all was taken care of.

I had no idea that CPS gives parents the third degree every time you take your kid to the ER with an injury. I'm glad that people are watching out for our kids but sheesh...it's enough to make a parent paranoid.

lifehappens

on Jun 24, 2006

I had no idea that CPS gives parents the third degree every time you take your kid to the ER with an injury. I'm glad that people are watching out for our kids but sheesh...it's enough to make a parent paranoid.

I don't think it happens every time, but the possibility exists. So yes, paranoia lives here

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