I'm an ER doctor - here are three ways you should NEVER pick up kids (2024)

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An ER doctor has cautioned parents about the dangers of picking up their children the wrong way as they can result in serious injuries.

Texas-based Dr. J. Mack Slaughter has become a TikTok sensation by sharing healthcare advice online with his more than 697,000 followers.

He recently took to the video-sharing platform to detail an injury known as a 'nursemaid's elbow,' which occurs when a ligament slips out of place in between the elbow joint and two bones, according to KidsHealth.

In the viral clip, which has so far amassed more than 20,000 views, the healthcare pro revealed that you shouldn't pull your child up or away by their wrist, or swing them around by their wrists as it can lead to this injury.

Dr. J. captioned the video: 'Nursemaid's elbow (aka radial head subluxation) affects over 20,000 children per year in the US with over 80 per cent of those patients being between the ages of one and three.'

According to KidsHealth, there are three ways this injury often occurs.

It happens when child is pulled by the hand to stop them from falling or running, when you swing a child around by the hands, and when a kid rolls over on the arm while sleeping or playing.

The ER doctor focused on swinging your child around, which he admitted he has done before.

'Daddies love this one. They grab their kids by the wrist and just start swinging.' he said as he stretched his arms out and pretended he was being spun around.

The ER doctor noted that children tended to love this 'until the head of the radial bone gets dislocated.'

Dr. J. admitted that he once accidentally gave his own child a nursemaid's elbow.

'The good news is I popped it right back into place,' he said.

People flooded the comments section and echoed the doctor's warning - with many of them noting that they were forced to learn the hard way.

One person said: 'I did this to my daughter accidentally. I was terrified that they were gonna take me to jail when we went to the ER. Turns out they see it frequently - no jail for me.'

Another user wrote: 'I had to pop my daughter's elbow back in place when my husband picked her up wrong. She was screaming, then instantly stopped.'

'My daughter had this, it was so bad,' someone else added.

'This happened to all three of our kids. you'd think we would've learned but... nope. They taught us how to put it back in,' one user commented.

According to KidsHealth, most children won't get nursemaid's elbow after age five, however it can happen up to age six or seven.

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