United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hello. Andrea here. I was wondering what you guys have been told about lifting your children up under their armpits. We really haven't been told much of anything about this. Please let me know what you have been told. Thanks so much.

Hi Andrea,

When my grand-daughter was first diagnosed with Erb's Palsy, the physical therepist told my daughter and I that we really shouldn't pick her up under her armpits. She recommended that we scoop her up in our arms, mainly support her arm and back when we reached down to pick her up. But with old habits and she being a newborn, it took some time to get use to this. The therepist said that lifting up her up under the armpits could do more damage to nerve damage that she already had. I hope this helps you somewhat.

Yolanda

Interestingly, the only place we ever heard not to life our son up under his armpits was this and another BPI message board. The five doctors he's seen (not including his pediatrician!) and all his therapists have always lifted him from under his armpits. I was freaked about it for a long time - I literally cringed every time any of these medical professionals picked up my child. But I asked every one of them about it and they all said I wasn't going to hurt him, so I got over it. Now, though, I've somehow sprained my right thumb and it hurts *me* to pick him up that way... go figure.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know if any of these people are treating my child according to his injury or if they generically don't feel this precaution is necessary. My now 10-month-old son has a moderate upper trunk BPI injury. He has not had primary but will likely need secondary surgery in the future.

Kate

Our doctors and therapists are not concerned about it and pick up our child that way. They do not believe it will cause any damage. I am more concerned when people try to lift by the upper arm. On a gut level I do not feel very comfortable about picking up my child under the armpits so therefore I do not do it. If there is any question and there are alternative ways of picking a child up, then why chance it? I have always picked up my child by holding onto his ribs.

I've been thinking about this issue since it was posted. All I have to add to the posts is from the perspective of the person injured. I don't like for anyone to touch certain areas on my arm. I go crazy if I am in a crowd and people bump me, so I avoid crowds when possible. I have simply learned to avoid doing those things which bring discomfort.

So I guess the issue I wanted to raise was that, above and beyond whether this is advisable or not, is to determine whether the child doesn't like to be picked up this way as well. You'll be able to tell. It's almost an involuntary reaction of revulsion.

Nancy

YOU MUST HAVE A YOUNG CHILD? i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

We were told by 3 different BPI Clinics not to lift up the child under the armpit. They were more concerned with shoulder joint issues than with reinjuring the nerves. The shoulder usually has such issues with a BPI anyways, that it is better to be safe than sorry. That is what we have been told, but it is best to follow what YOUR specialist is telling you to do and what you feel most comfortable with also. Good luck!