When a nursemaid's elbow is suspected in a child, what is a common observation?

In cases where nursemaid's elbow, also known as radial head subluxation, is suspected, a common observation is that the child’s arm is slightly flexed and held close to the body. This position is typically assumed because the child is attempting to minimize movement in the affected arm, which may be painful or uncomfortable due to the dislocation of the radial head or stretching of the associated ligaments.

Children often exhibit signs of discomfort, but rather than crying excessively as a primary indicator, they may express their distress by keeping the arm in a protective posture. This helps avoid further injury while also signaling to caregivers that something is wrong without resorting necessarily to extreme behaviors like pulling or forcing the arm.

The observed behavior of holding the arm close to the body with slight flexion is a result of instinctively protecting the joint from movement that causes pain.