United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

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

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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