United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello everyone,
I have a question for the older girls/ladies and parents with daughters who have BPI..My daughter Arianna is 8 soon to be 9 yrs old and she long ( a little past her shoulder) lenght really curly hair.. . for now I help her wash her hair and she's ok with that, but every other weekend she goes to her fathers house and his girlfriend would do help her wash her hair while in the shower. But she's getting to that age where she becoming a little shy and doesn't want her dad or his girlfriend to help and soon she won't want my help. So my Question is Are there any tricks of the trade to help her to do it on her own ? Her hair is curly and thick, I have thinned it out but it's still very thick and cruly. I've told her that before she goes we'll wash her hair but in the summer they go swimming sometimes and soon she won't want my help. So if you have any advice I would love to hear it.
Thanks
Tracy

I have a daughter that is non bpi with ling thick curly hair. She is fourteen and still has a tough time. I know the feeling of the children leaving and the father having to do this. It is awful, I know. I always buy good shampoo, two in one, like Loreal kids. Then I buy a conditioner too. For one armed washing I cannot help you, I have an eight year old boy. He gets the job done most of the time....of course, mom keeps him hair short. good Luck, I have received a ton of help from the adults on here. I am sure that this post will be loaded shortly. Gayle mom of Brandon 7 1/2 ROBPI

Tracy,
I've struggled with this "Washing Hair" issue all my life and I finally just gave in to "KISS"! (Keep It Simple,Stupid!...that's me only...)and I kept it short all of my life except when I was in my 20's I went to a beauty salon 2 times a week.(In the 1960's it didn't cost as much as it does today.)Finally!@ at my present age, my hair has thinned and I am now able to keep it medium length, & I REALLY enjoy it!...My suggestion is to give her a choices: 1: you help, @2: she decides ON HER OWN to cut it managably short to medium{try medium 1st so it won't be much of a shock,then go shorter as she wants gradually, or 3: have her earm money enough to go to one of those walk in beauty shops just to have it shampooed. Just doing # 3 gies her independence and self assuranance becqause SHE chooses to do it.

Sorry if I rattled on....
HUGS everyone,
Carolyn J 's
LOBPI, age 67 & proud of it!

I now have long curly hair, I was it one handed, always have. It's harder with curly hair... gets tangled as you lather up, but with enough conditioner it works out fine.
Marieke

I wore my hair long most of my life. Now it is still thick and I get it cut every 5 weeks to keep it short...
I had thick curly hair and my Mother helped me wash it.
When I reach that age (the one where we don't want our mothers in the bathroom) my Mother use to have me wash my hair in the Kitchen sink.
This way she could help me rinse it.
When I was first married my hair was almost to my waist and thick and curly.
My husband use to help me wash it in the sink so that it could be rinsed better...
I never realized it was because I was OBPI.
I always thought it was because it was so thick, long and curly...

I thought everyone washed their hair with one hand it never entered my mind that people would use two hands.
When I saw my own babies and people on TV commercials wash their hair with both hands I thought it was strange.
I never realized most people waste so much energy by using two hands... LOL....

Kitchen sink works well for those who have to visit with fathers on weekends.
My Mom use to tell me that if my hair was not rinsed properly it would tangle more.
(Hmmm I think she made that one up to make me feel normal...LOL... bless her heart)

Kath (adult/robpi)

easy peezy lemon squeezy as my daughter would say. I have long curly hair and am lobpi. My solution was always to simply bend over so my head is upside down (looking at the ground) and wash my hair with gravity. That way my arm didn't have to reach up at all. I have also heard of someone who would just prop their arm against the shower wall, put their hand on their head and wash it that way too.

Suzy

I just thought of a solution, how about a removable shower head......that way she can remove the shower head and move it around her head to rinse it better.....you know, we have always had a shower head that comes down, so I didn't even think that it is easier for my little BPI guy. I think we have a shower massage, we bought it originally for the pulsing action for my son's arm, but that may make things easier......Gayle

PS they are easily installed and are relatively cheap....I think I bought mine for $5.00 on Clearance at TARGET.........and we've had the thing for five years !!!!!

The removable shower head is actually harder for me, since i can't raise the bpi arm to my head. An attached shower head works just fine, and I wash my hair with one hand -- who needs two?

Where I have difficulty is in styling the hair. So I either had my hair long (for the first 35 years) and short (since then), always finding a style that didn't need much care.

Nancy

I am a huge fan of the shower heads that have adjustable water pressure, I have long hair and so far that seems to work the best. I also wash my hair just using my left hand. I can not reach that high with my bpi hand. Longer showers help too. I take 20 minutes mostly for my hair. Could never manage a 5 min shower. oh darn.
Amy 18 ROBPI from MN