United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I am the mother of a 17-month-old, Aria, with a bilateral OBPI - her right arm's being tremendously more affected than her left.

While she has somewhat limited movement with her right arm (deltoid to 90 degrees, biceps to 75 degrees, reasonable triceps, absolutely no external rotation, wrist or thumb extension), she has excellent feeling. I have tested this by running feathers and other light items softly down her arm while she is distracted and looking in another direction. She always turns to see what has tickled her.

However, even though she could use her right arm to an extent, and even though she has excellent feeling in it, I find she often forgets about it. She'll happily use it when I ask her to, or when her left arm is occupied. But otherwise, it usually hangs limp at her side.

As adults, do you still "forget" your injured arms? Other than stimulation through textures and massage, and asking Aria to use her right arm, do you have any advice about how I could stimulate her to use that arm more?

Thank you for your help!!!!!

Mica

I use my affected arm all the time. I'm typing with my index finger right now!! However, I definitely use my unaffected arm for motions that need strength and range.

I have reduced strength in the bicep, tricep, and deltoid that limits function but I have good hand/finger function that allows me to grasp things to carry and hold on to (like a cup). I just can't lift anything above head level.

Regarding stimulation to help her, how about simple games like putting objects into a box? You might ask your question on the General Board to find help from other parents.

John P.
ROBPI for 68 years

I tend to not use it even when I can. I have excellent use of it, but things are just easier when I use my right arm only sometimes... Like things I could do 2 handed, I do one handed (if possible). Not sure why, I guess I always did that and it's continued.
I use both hands to type most of the time, but eating I tend to not cut my food with a knife if I can do it with the side of my fork, so I don't use my LOBPI side to use the knife if it can be helped.
Putting dishes away in the cupboard I tend to use only my right arm unless it it's too heavy and need both hands...
I guess just try to encourage her to use both, even if it sounds like you are nagging.. I figure eventually she will use both out of habit, hopefully!
Make games out of it as John suggested.
Good luck!
Marieke (32, LOBPI)

I have always forgotten to use my robpi arm. Unless I made a decision to use it... it just hangs.

When I was young my mother assigned tasks to my robpi.
I can type with both hands but can't lift a cup to my mouth and have limited motion.
When I learned to iron she would only let me iron right handed. It was hard but that is what I do to this day.
I had a very hard time using my arm and hand and it's still very weak but forcing me to use robpi arm/hand for some things really helped. The only time I use my right hand is when I preform a task it was assigned.

One of the doctors at camp explained that we have had such a brain disconnect to our arms we just forget to use it.

I am using the Myotrac Semg and find that it's like making a new connection to some muscles. I know she is not old enough yet to assign tasks but she can be talked into it when she is more mature. I always referred to my arm as a decoration or a hanger...

I will not put my hand/arm out to save myself if I fall and I guess it's because my brain forgot I had an arm.

Kath robpi/adult

I had to correct my sentence... I left a few words out of my sentence. It changed the whole meaning. I put them in bold just to show my correction.
Message was edited by: Kath

I really appreciate your help!!!

Thank you for the ideas and support! This injury is so incredibly unfair. It's nice to have a community of people who are willing to help me help my little girl cope with it.

Again, thank you.

One thing we did with joshua when he was young was to have separate toys for his left (affected) hand. I think it helped!

Kate

Kath,

I knew what you were saying, even before you edited.

Thank you.

Kate,

Daniel and I really liked your plastic spoons idea. (We read it in another post.)

I'm open to anything and everything to help Aria!!!

No, hardly ever. I never did. Now, since finding UBPN etc. I purposely try to remember to use it as much as I can with certain tasks..not anywhere around my hair,'tho!!..lol.

HUGS,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/69

I grew up in a family of dancers and found that even though I may have looked a bit different to everyone else with my BPI arm, that activity of using my arm each week, however little, certainly helped me to maintain my range of motion (although that's still fairly limited. And since I've stopped dancing and playing sports I have noticed that the amount of strength and rotation that I have seems to be diminishing from lack of use.

I can strongly recommend a regular sport or dancing - it's more fun than doing just the exercises that the physio gives you and having that regular social interaction when you're a child who is a little bit different is also a plus!

Good Luck!

Lacey, 27yo ROBPI