needing guidance for my baby boy

[rich]

Francine, tks for the wealth of info. With all the replies i've received I'm beginning to feel at ease. I've started looking at the sites you've recommended but have not finished yet. just wanted to break away and thank you for the support. They say knowledge is the key. I wish you and your family well.

[Bridget]

Rich,

Welcome to our community. I hope that you will be able to find a great deal of information and support on our site and from the experiences of others facing similar challenges. I would like to encourage you to please post on the general message board, as that is where the parents of children with this injury post most often. You will find a great deal of support there.

I would like to echo Francine's comments regarding pain and current treatment protocols of brachial plexus injuries. In the awareness materials on this site you will find an article written by a very experienced and well-respected therapist which details the therapy protocols. Please share that information with your child's therapist.

My experience as the mother of a son with this injury (sustained at birth) is that while each injury is different, some pain can be associated with this injury. My own son experienced great discomfort (pain!) as an infant, particularly when laid down for sleeping. We struggled a great deal with the pain issue.

Other experiences shared by the many community members I have been in contact with over the years also reflect pain issues associated with this injury at all ages and levels. I am not saying this to alarm you, but it is best to know what to look for and to be aware of. We were told by uninformed physicians that my son felt no pain...how wrong they were, and I regret not being able to recognize and help my son earlier because of this misinformation.

Please read and absorb as much as you can, and feel free to post and ask away! Best of luck to you and your family.

Bridget

[admin]

Hello Rich, please email me as I am near Toronto and can offer you valuable information. We have fabulous BPI specialists available to us here that are free of charge. Talk to you soon..

[Debbie]

Rich,
Hi. I am a mom of a brachial plexus child. I just wanted to tell you my son does have pain associated with this birth injury. This injury happened because
it was not a normal birth. A normal birth, does not have any complications.(In my opinion, and I am a health worker).
It depends on how the nerve is affected in the brachial plexus. Some nerves will NEVER grow back, even with ot and pt. With my son much of his damage at birth will NEVER be repaired, Maybe with (surgery?)
By going to a neurologist you will learn what damage has been done. Believe me when I say, there are many complications related to this birth injury. My son experiences leg pain also with this. The phrenic nerve can also be affected. When a child has a bp injury not only are the nerves affected, but the muscles, the sketal, the lymphatic system, the blood circulation also. Many people have difficulty with temperature changes. The parasympathetic, and sympathetic system is affected. In return the respiratory system can be affected. I hope I am not scaring you, I don't mean to. Just to give you my own knowledge, and opinion.
I hope your child has minimal damage related to this.
Wouldn't it be really nice, if your child would have a great recovery! This is what I pray for you.
I hope you good luck in your quest to help you child,
and always look at the positive aspect.
Welcome to the bpi family!
God Bless you,
Debbie

[Debbie]

Rich,
Hi. One last thing Francine's site has so much information, if you get a chance to go to it, do so.
Again,I would also like to state in the previous post it was my opinion, and not to upset any previous posts.
Take care,
Debbie