United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My daughter, ROBPI, wants a Game Boy for Christmas but she can not use her right hand at all. I am concerned that she won't be able to play. I know there is the PlayStation 2, X-Box, and Game Cube as well. Can ya'll please give me some advice on what your children can play?

Thanks,
Kimberly

Check out the TBPI board, I bumped a recent video game thread for you. Good luck.
Shannon

Kimberly, my son plays Gameboy one-handed, but can use his thumb to play two-handed when he wants...In fact, when he first got it, he had surgery and actually played it with one foot and one hand (while he was splinted). Can you believe that? He also has X-box and Gamecube, and he uses the palm of his affected hand to move those controls. He plays it all! Believe me, they find a way!
Jaime

Kimberly, My son was playing gameboy with one hand in his hospital bed when he was 7 years old after his last surgery. If she's determined she'll find a way! God bless!

Hi Kimberley
my son Gavin (13 yrs ROBPI) has very poor hand function and really only has a little thumb and forefinger movement and he LOVES his Gameboy- he's now on the 3rd incarnation of it, the Gameboy Advance SP which he had 2 weeks ago for his birthday.
He also uses a Nintendo game cube - and X box and also PS2 ( sorry can't avoid those consumer ads with teenage boys LOL)
he cpes well on all of them - is it possible for your little one to "practice" using one in a store before you buy?
Over here at Toys R Us you can have a go on demo consoles before you buy.
I do think your little one will find a way to adapt to using the Gameboy - give it a go - if it doesn't work out, then you can look for alternatives but at least you will have tried it out.
Karen

My son, LOBPI, plays our daughter's Gamecube. He has good hand and finger function however.
We bought him his own system called V Smile by V Tech. It is geared for kids ages 2-8. The games are all educational (numbers, letters, colors, reading) and the games are made for specific age groups 2-4, 4-6, & 6-8. He enjoys playing it. It is good for his hand/eye coordination, hand and finger movement, and the educational side of it makes it even better.

My son was playing one handed PS2 one day after his Mod Quad surgery. They have a game system in the hospital and he played just fine one handed. He has a Game Cube now and also played it one handed until his splint came off. You will be suprised what they can do with just one hand. I thought about getting my son a game boy for chirstmas as well, but figured since he already had game cube, he doesn't need another game system. Good Luck!

We are a Play Station 2 family - (and Gameboy advanced) but the game that I think has been the most fun is 'Eye Toy'on Play Station 2. Our whole family plays it, and so do all of the kids that are always over here. They all love it. You do not need a controller for this game - the shadows that you make on the TV screen control the game. It's at Walmart for about $50.00. We play soccer, (have to kick your leg to make a shadow at the ball on the TV), boxing, (punch to make shadows to hit the other boxer on the screen), window washer, spinning plates, all sorts of stuff and no hand movement is needed but arm movement and body movement is - it is a work out really. We all have fun and get worn out after playing and laughing so hard. My daughter with the injury seems to have mastered how to use her body to make shadows - she'll jump up and down and swing her legs to score points - she has figured out how to beat all of us.
I hope you find something that your child loves,
Christy

My son had the mod-quad last week in Texas. He has a statue of liberty splint on his left arm. He loves his Sony Playstation and I think it's great for his fine motor skills. We worried about how he would be able to play when we came back home. He figured out that his left hand really controlled the movement of the main character and his right hand performed all the more sophisticated moves. So he figured it out by putting the knob that controls the player in his mouth and controlling the rest of the action with his right hand. If you watch the screen (and not him), you would never know that he was playing like that.
His favorite game is Spongebob (he has 2 of them) and Ratchet and Clank.

P.S. The do sell a wireless controller for the Playstation. We bought one at Target for around $25.