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</ iframe > </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --><div id="header"> <div id="CClogo"><a href="https://www.cookchildrens.org"><span class="srText">Cook Children's</span></a></div> <div id="CCsearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="GET" onsubmit="return (this.q.value == '') ? false : true;" action="/CookChildrens/en/parents/"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/> <input type="hidden" name="getfields" value="description"/> <input type="search" class="search" name="q" id="q" maxlength="256" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" placeholder="Search"/> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="cookchildrens"> <input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"> <input type="hidden" name="lang" value="english"> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"> <input type="submit" value="" id="searchButton" class="buttonImage"/> </form> </div> </div> <!-- If we have main navigation separated then it will reside here --> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="rsSearchBrowse"> <div id="rsBrowse" role="navigation"> </div> <div id="rsSearch"> <div id="rsSectionLabel">parents</div> </div> </div> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar licH"> <h1>What to Do About a Dislocation</h1> </div> <div class="clearBox"> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="xp1"> </div><br clear="all" style="width: 0; height: 0; line-height: 0; font-size: 0;"><div id="khcontent_article" lang="en-us"> <div id="NavigatePage1"> <div id="whichRead_1"><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!-- The following article is brought to you by CookChildrens. --></span><div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"><script> var theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); var rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g,"_"); var whichReadPage = 1; var doesItGotFlash = ''; makeTheRSLinkEN(); var readSpeakerDownloadLink = "//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&voice=Kate&speed=100&readid=khcontent_article&url="+theRSURL+"&audiofilename=KidsHealth_"+rsAudioTitle+""; </script></div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip"><a href="/CookChildrens/es/parents/dislocations-sheet.html"><span class="pairedURLHead" lang="es">en español<img src="/images/n00/icons/langPairArrow.svg" alt=""></span><span class="pairedURLBody" lang="es">Primeros auxilios: Dislocaciones</span></a></div> <!--googleon:all--><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><h3>What Is a Dislocation?</h3><p>A dislocation is when two connected <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/bones-muscles-joints.html">bones</a> slip out of position in a joint. Dislocations are caused by <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/falls-sheet.html">falls</a> and hard impacts, such as in sports injuries, and are more common in teens than young children. These injuries require <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/emergency-room.html">emergency medical care</a> to avoid further damage.<br /></p><h3>What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Dislocation?</h3><p>A joint is where two or more bones come together. A joint may be dislocated if it is:</p><ul><li>swollen</li><li>bruised or red</li><li>painful</li><li>difficult to move</li><li>out of place</li></ul><h3>What Should I Do if My Child Has a Dislocation?</h3><p>If you think your child has a dislocation, <strong>get emergency medical care or call 911</strong>. Until care arrives:</p><ul><li>Leave the joint alone. Attempting to move or jam a dislocated bone back in can damage blood vessels, muscles, ligaments, and nerves.</li><li>Put an ice pack covered in a cloth on the area around the joint. Ice can ease swelling and pain in and around the joint.</li><li>Use <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/ibuprofen.html">ibuprofen</a> or <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/acetaminophen.html">acetaminophen</a> for pain.</li></ul><h3>What Can Help Prevent Dislocations?</h3><ul><li>Make sure kids wear safety gear during sports activities.</li><li>Supervise children when they're playing — <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/safety-falls.html">a hard fall</a> can happen anywhere, anytime.</li><li>Avoid tugging hard on a young child's arm or shoulder, which can cause <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/nursemaid.html">injury</a> or dislocation.</li></ul></div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy">Medically reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD</div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: July 2018</div> </div><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!--Thank you for listening to this KidsHealth audio cast. The information you heard, is for educational purposes only. 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