I really don't know how to help Tyler when it comes to buttoning his own pants. He can't wear elastic forever! I picked him up from school yesterday and noticed that he was pulling his pants up constantly like they were going to fall off. I lifted up his shirt and his pants were almost all the way unzipped and not buttoned. I asked him to show me if he could button and he really can't. He can't bend his wrist in far enough on his right arm to help his "good" arm out any. I even had him try it laying down and he still can't reach that button. We were working on just using one hand, but he doesn't have enough coordination to do it one handed. I feel horrible for him! What's he supposed to do while he's at school?
Laura
Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
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- Posts: 282
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 6:56 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Hi! I am Laura, the mom of Tyler, who has a ROBPI. I've been a member of this site since 1998 and owe a great deal to the wonderful people in the UBPN community who have helped us along the way get what we needed to get done for Tyler. Tyler is now 14 years old and in the 9th grade. He's a super bright kid and loves his video games. Tyler had the mod quad surgery with Dr. Shenaq shortly before he passed. That was his first and only surgery. Now that he is older he is requesting additional surgery. He'd like to be able to supinate. Our goal is for Summer 2013.
- Location: Gulf Breeze, FL
Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
Laura LeNoir, Mom of Tyler, Age 14, ROBPI
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
In therapy, we worked on bottoning with a vest and really large buttons and loose button holes. Emma still has a difficult time with it, but she can manage some buttons better. She still won't wear pants that button. It frustrates her too much to take the extra time with it.
Do you sew? I don't, but if I did I would replace zippers and snaps/buttons with velcro. I have seen a few pants that do have velco instead of zippers, etc and have gotten them.
Good luck. Hopefully others will have better suggestions.
Do you sew? I don't, but if I did I would replace zippers and snaps/buttons with velcro. I have seen a few pants that do have velco instead of zippers, etc and have gotten them.
Good luck. Hopefully others will have better suggestions.
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- Posts: 282
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 6:56 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Hi! I am Laura, the mom of Tyler, who has a ROBPI. I've been a member of this site since 1998 and owe a great deal to the wonderful people in the UBPN community who have helped us along the way get what we needed to get done for Tyler. Tyler is now 14 years old and in the 9th grade. He's a super bright kid and loves his video games. Tyler had the mod quad surgery with Dr. Shenaq shortly before he passed. That was his first and only surgery. Now that he is older he is requesting additional surgery. He'd like to be able to supinate. Our goal is for Summer 2013.
- Location: Gulf Breeze, FL
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
Tyler is only 6, so that still may be why he has problems. There is no plan set up at school. He goes to a really small private school and they just don't have the resources. I may do what Peggy suggested and replace his buttons with velcro for now. I'll just keep working with him and see where it goes.
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
Laura LeNoir, Mom of Tyler, Age 14, ROBPI
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
Brianna does button her own pants. She does it with one hand. The pants have to be pretty loose, but she is 8 and most of the time does not need my help. She is LOBPI. It is AMAZING what kids teach themselves to do. When she was in her cast after surgery, she used her foot to hold things while her right hand did the work.
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
It only hit me a short time ago when I was watching my husband button his shirt, and I said 'why do you need to use two hands to button your shirt?' I did not realize that that was the way most people buttoned their clothes. Honestly, it just never dawned on me.
Have some patience and give him some time and he will soon be dexterous enough to do it one handed.
That, however, assumes that he cannot use the bpi arm to assist. I've never had enough internal rotation nor the finger dexterity on my bpi arm and hand to do this.
It's a tough call as a parent. You want your children to be the best they can be, but, at the same time, realize that compromise and adaptation are sometimes necessary tools to teach them.
Nancy
Have some patience and give him some time and he will soon be dexterous enough to do it one handed.
That, however, assumes that he cannot use the bpi arm to assist. I've never had enough internal rotation nor the finger dexterity on my bpi arm and hand to do this.
It's a tough call as a parent. You want your children to be the best they can be, but, at the same time, realize that compromise and adaptation are sometimes necessary tools to teach them.
Nancy
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- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
LOL... Nancy
I never thought about it.
I still can't figure out why people use two hands to wash their hair.
I guess we are old enough not to remember the struggle learning to do it one handed, it is so natural for us.
Have Tyler wear looser clothing perhaps you could make it a game and he could practice doing it with one handed. He is young and as Rich said many children cannot button.
I bet he will pick this up very quickly.
Kath
I never thought about it.
I still can't figure out why people use two hands to wash their hair.
I guess we are old enough not to remember the struggle learning to do it one handed, it is so natural for us.
Have Tyler wear looser clothing perhaps you could make it a game and he could practice doing it with one handed. He is young and as Rich said many children cannot button.
I bet he will pick this up very quickly.
Kath
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi
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- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
Lori
How about coming to Camp UBPN in DC and teaching the kids how to do it!
You could also mingle with the other adult bpi injured both tbpi and obpi it is a great experience.
Kath
How about coming to Camp UBPN in DC and teaching the kids how to do it!
You could also mingle with the other adult bpi injured both tbpi and obpi it is a great experience.
Kath
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi
- hope16_05
- Posts: 1670
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:33 am
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 28 years old with a right obstetrical brachial plexus injury. 5 surgeries to date with pretty decent results. Last surgery resolved years of pain in my right arm however, I am beginning my journey with overuse in my left arm
- Location: Minnesota
- Contact:
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
I never wore pants that buttoned until I was about 7 or 8 but I soon learned to botton on my own by sticking my index finger of my left(uninjured) hand to reach the far side of the button and pull it through. Does that make sence? Also sometimes I use my right hand to hold my pants then go up against a wall for added support because my hand/wrist function is not so great. Hope that helps,
Amy
Amy
Amy 28 years old ROBPI from MN
Re: Any suggestions to help with buttoning?
People use two hands to wash their hair?
That seems like a waste of energy!
So I tried chopsticks for the first time a few weeks ago and picked it up right away! Seems the one-handed dexterity sometimes pays off.
What about sewing different kinds of fasteners (like velcro or snaps) onto his pants, or maybe get him a belt he can buckle so that even if he cant button, his pants still wouldn't fall down.
-Carrie
That seems like a waste of energy!
So I tried chopsticks for the first time a few weeks ago and picked it up right away! Seems the one-handed dexterity sometimes pays off.
What about sewing different kinds of fasteners (like velcro or snaps) onto his pants, or maybe get him a belt he can buckle so that even if he cant button, his pants still wouldn't fall down.
-Carrie