United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Oh Kath - you had me laughing and teary eyed too! Thanks! I can just picture you sprinting in to meet your brand new granddaughter and knocking everybody out of your way and then heading straight over to inspect her little arms. I can picture me doing that when Britt and her sister start having babies too!
No more guilt!:)

After all we have been through with Kaitlyn this has remained a true question of mine. I really doubt anyone ever has full 100% no slight issues recovery. I think this because kaitlyn has had amazing recovery. And yet there are always small things that crop up as she grows. She has full range and can weight bear and is probably 90-95% but will never be 100 and even six months ago the BPI specialists said she could get there to 100% now i really feel there will always be something to worry about.

Kathleen,
I have two children with bpi. Melanie recovered at six weeks. She couldn't move from her shoulder to her elbow. Birth weight was 8lbs 12oz at 40 weeks. We were told that she recovered 99.99999% and that no injury is ever recovered 100%, once the nerves are stretched they won't be the same. We were told to continue to watch her through growth spurts (chances are she'll be perfectly fine) She just turned two in August. Then I had Matthew this past March weighing 10lbs 6oz two weeks early. The vacuum was used. He had surgery in October - rupture, avulsion, and neuroma.
Cindy

Oh Christy, please don't talk about our daughters having babies. I'm not ready for that yet! lol

AAGGHH Sue! You're right! Sarah's still in High School going to proms and Britt still has a few years until she's even needing a bra - - so I'll slow down a little!

What a day. We just ordered cap, gown & graduation announcements today. What a reality check! Bras are just the beginning.

Kath, would you ask your bradley teaching friend if shes heard of Ina May Gaskin (midwife) -she has an outlook probably consistant with your friends aND may have some input your friend might be interested in-
http://www.thefarm.org/lifestyle/dystocia.html
btw, MANA was doing a study recently on SDs I believe and(gotta plug my sisters here) particularly the homebirth midwives rates are sooososomuch lower than any hospital rates, another point that wouod support your friends original views probably-
a zillion people have residual issues from injuries of different types...so in detail perhaps 100% isnt perfectly accurate but in my opionion it is descriptive enough- I can accept that for me- or my kids- heck I can accept the recovery Max has with a smile so...I guess everyones different-I also agree that the 90% rate for 100% recovery is pretty darned high and its not what I have personally witnessed but hey- thats just my opinion

I also have 2 girls born with bpi. Sarah born at 40 weeks, 8 bls 12 oz, pitocin induction, just had surgery at Boston Childrens. They had felt her hand and elbow had recovered 90% and her shoulder 85%. Emily was born at 38 weeks, 8 lbs 4 oz, pitocin induction and even knowing and trying to prevent the injury, she still had one. Emily has never had therapy and I doubt any of her doctors would consider her as having any degree of injury. 100% recovered?? I do wonder/worry if as she grows older (she is 2 1/2) she may have issues that arrise. Sarah on the other hand, will always have a far more pronounced degree of injury.

I have a friend whose daughter was injured at birth. She did not move her arm at all. She said that by the time she was 6 months old, there was only a slight difference in the strength of the injured arm, other than that her arm was fine. They didn't even do any treatment or therapy at all. She is now 7 years old and does not seem to have any effects from her injury. Since this is the only person I ever knew with this injury and the doctors told me when my son was born that by the time he was 6 months old you wouldn't even be able to tell he was injured, that is what we really thought would happen. My son will be 2 next month and we are still deciding whether or not to have surgery. We now realize this will be a lifelong struggle.
I guess some children do regain 100%, but there are also those who do not. It seems to me that the 90%figure may be a little bit high, but that is just my opinion.

Connie

Marymom we were talking about Ina May Gaskin (and who she is etc...LOL... my mary was right on top of that one)...LOL... she was telling me about her ... will hear more on our Tuesday walk...

As for the resolve... I thought it was interesting, since that is what they told my Mom until she checked it further... I was paralyzed, no movement in the shoulder, arm or hand... and Horner's.... so that is where I started from.... I wore a brace for 11 months in traffic cop position and also had ROM starting at two weeks old... everything I did, I now realize, and all my play was home therapy and directed towards me gaining as much recovery as they could get... my arm hung limp and my hand was thumb in... I see it in early photos and as I got a little older you begin to see the elbow in pictures... My hand had to do a lot of work to be useful - I have scapular winging... I still remember them applauding me when I got my arm to my face but when I see the photo what a struggle and of course the head it tilted to the hand.

Of course my Mom was told how lucky she was and what remarkable use I had of my arm and hand. duh! that was not true. Doctors use to say was WOW you can hardly notice. Its not what is noticed that is important -- it is about function…Even as a small child I knew that but did not have the voice to express those feelings.
If you cannot supinate/pronate you have lost a lot...
I wonder if anyone knows how the sensors in the arms work? Do children who "recover" feel hot and cold the same in both arms? Do children who "recover" have contractures later on? Do children who "recover" have their arms mapped the same as the uninjured arms? Are their veins smaller? Will they have atrophy later in some of their muscles? It would be nice if we had answers to these questions?

Kath