United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi All,

My daughter is currently 21 months and has a brachial plexus injury from birth and it affected her right arm. She currently has 70% usage and can lift her arm to about her face. She cannot supinate (I believe that's extending her elbow) and cannot twist her wrist. What I was wondering from people that are older, will her right arm grow in proportion to her left arm and what type of function will she eventually have. Currently her right arm is about 4" shorter than her left arm. Also, I would like to know if anyone has gone to a Chiropractor for treatment and if that has helped their arm improve.

Thank you in advance for getting back to me.

Roza

The more that she tries to use her arm, the more it will develop.

My daughter is 3 1\2 years old and, thankfully, her arms are pretty much proportional. Her right are was affected as well and it is about 1/2 in shorter than the left. Her arm was paralyzed from birth until about 3 months. We took her to occupational therapy since birth until about age 2. She has about 70% use of her arm as well. She cannot lift all the way, she wings her arm a lot, and her wrist tends to twist. The therapy helped a lot as well as us doing activities with her at home. Hope this helps.

Roza, Here is a recent group of posts regarding Chiropracter.
http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... read=11731

My LOBPI daughter, now age 21, had a severe injury, and her arm is shorter. Does your daughter have a contracture at her elbow, that would also make it appear shorter?

My daughter needed to wear a brace/splint at night because of her elbow contracture, so it would not worsen.

Hi Angela,

Hope you are doing well. I believe my daughter has a contracture. Her elbow remains bent at all times so that her arm appears to be shorter than it really is. Our PT has not recommended any brace/splint in the past. I will be seeing her again in Sept. when Velica turns 2. Maybe I could request to get one made for her.
I'm having my second baby this Monday, scheduled c-sec. Eventhough I'm not as big as my first, I really couldn't take any chances of having my baby stuck again.

Talk to you soon,
Roza

Dear Roza,
Good luck to you on Monday, as you deliver your new baby! How exciting. Back when I was having my 3 vaginaly, several of my friends had theirs c-section....and they did just fine....better than me, birthing those 2 huge babies.....my first one was smaller.

The "long arm" splint Jill wore at nite (put it on at bedtime)went from her armpit to her hand. It was completely straight. In your childs case, it would depend on how severe the bend is now. If her bend is severe, wouldn't want to go completely straight all at once.
Jill's was molded from a flat piece of "plastic?" and when placed in a vat of HOT water, became moldable. They would put a fabric mesh (like a tube sock) on her arm to protect it from the heat, and mold it to fit.

Congratulations on that NEW baby. Wishing all the best.

Roza:

I think you'll find from OBPI adults that the affected arm remains shorter than the unaffected arm. The length difference depends on the individual and I suppose the severity of the injury (use of affected arm). Mine is about 1 1/2 inches shorter but I know of other adults with larger length differences.

John P.

Hi Angela,

Her elbow when straightened out, remains slightly bent. Did you find the brace helped Jill's arm from gettin worse.
Thanks for your good wishes, I might be off the computer for a while.
Take care,
Roza

Hi Roza, Jill's Chicago Orthopedic Dr. thought she should have it, and Jill wore it for years and years and years (made new ones as she grew). "He" said it would worsen......however, it is one of those You Really Never Know. I just took the doctors word for it.

So I guess, it would be a good thing for you to discuss this with the doctor at the next visit. Maybe you could ask others here on the board, about their experiences with elbow contracture and splints.
My Jill has never had any surgery. In the beginning they said she was so severe, nothing could be done. (THAT was a frightening time)

Jill does have a slight bend to her elbow (I forget the degree). She stopped wearing the brace in high school. The elbow contracture doesn't seem to bother Jill, so it doesn't bother me. At least it's not as bad as this "L".

She is 21, and has a long term fella, did well in school & now college, has good friends, etc....so life goes on. Shorter and smaller arm, with a small elbow bend, hand that hangs in ulnar deviation from her forearm frozen in neutral. She has functional use, in most areas of need. So much better than when she was born. We celebrate that now.