United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My 7wk old daughter turns her lil left hand in @ the wrist a bit so her therapist has made a hand brace to put on her hand a few times a day to keep her from doing it and stiffening up like that has anyone had that happen??

She still doesnt move her elbow part

Hi Lina, My 3rd daughter was also born with OBPI in 1984. The doctors then told me nothing could be done. I fought for therapy.

Immediately the therapist exclaimed the moment she saw her "You can't just leave her hand hang like that". We went back and had a splint made when she was about the same age as your daughter. My Jill wore that splint all day, every day, except while bathing. I think she was probably worse that your little one. My daughter moved her index finger, ever so slightly, the week of her first birthday.

It was explained to me that since her hand hung down so severely off her wrist; all the tendons would be stretched too long (and they don't shorten back up later, if stretched).

Jill's splint also held her fingers in the curved neutral position. Don't want to scare you too much, but for my Jill, the time came that her fingers all drew up tight, when she wasn't wearing the splint. I just kept opening them and one day they relaxed out again. She can open and close her hand now. She can also opose her individual fingers to her thumb, but not without concentration.

About the elbow, I would have to look in her baby book. As you read more on this site you will see that everyone has a different injury to their nerve system. Not everyone gets the same return. Some are more, or less, injured than others.

We had many tough moments, but we actually did survive this. Although, myself, with 3 kids under age 3 1/2, I did wonder at times.

Now my Jill is a Junior in college to be a ART teacher.

I think you might be talking about a "waiter's tip" which is common among children with obpi's. My daughter had a slight waiter's tip but in her case it was more of a weak wrist (her internal rotation wasn't real severe). She was splinted for nap and nighttime since it was then that she would lay on her side and let her hand bend at the wrist and rest on the bed. We also did alot of hand/wrist ROM. Her wrist got much stronger and by 4 1/2 months old she stopped wearing it.
Best wishes,
Shannon