United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Well this week was Kyle's 8th week in the 24 hour splint. So Tuesday we started taking it off during the day. Once again he has just amazed me. The first day he had it off for a couple of hours. Since then we have been taking it off everyday when he comes home from school, (lunch time) and keep it off until bed time. He has not really complained about pain. We started back at PT and pool therapy and he did great. I do have to remind him to try to put his arm down (he walks around holding it up)but he is using it during play. He was so excited about being able to use both hands to do things again. He is very tight, especially in his elbow now, but we are going to slowly work on that in PT. I am still a little afraid of how much I can range him, so I'll let the PT handle that for now. We will be going 4 times a week. I am just so glad that he doesn't have alot of pain. Infact I have to constantly get on him about being careful, he is so active all the time and doesn't realize that one little trip could really hurt him right now. What a boy!!! He has been such a trooper through this whole ordeal.

Okay, now that I have written a book here, I have a question for those of you who have gone through this with school aged children. When did you allow them to go to school not wearing the splint? How much more time should I give him? It doesn't seem to bother him having it off and he only goes for 2 1/2 hours a day. I am just afraid of him getting knocked down or being out on the playground. So how do you judge when it is okay? Any thoughts on that would be appreciated.
Thank you and best wishes to all our little angels.
Karrie

Didn't get any replies so I'm trying again. Any thoughts on when to send Kyle to school without the splint on. It has been 8 1/2 weeks now since surgery.
Input Please!!!!! Thanks.
Karrie

Blake is 11weeks post surgery and just last week I sent him to school(2 1/2hrs,2xweek) without his splint. I send it with him and explained how to put it on him so he can have it on at the playground, but thats it. Glad to hear he is doing well!

Hi Karrie,

Our kids are truly amazing aren't they? I am glad Kyle did well with the removal of the splint. The elbow will be tight for about 3 weeks according to our therapist. We are taking that very slowly and just bending it a little more each day.

As far as the splint at school goes -Alyssa is not wearing hers at all during the day. Since her little brother goes to the same daycare/preschool, Alyssa spends her day in the infant room with her brother and 4 other small children. She is with her class during class time and then she is with her brother during play time etc.. I feel the same way you do about her getting bumped into or knocked down, but I also don't want her to not be able to use her arm during the day. Maybe you can suggest a similar arrangement that he be allowed to do other activities while the other kids are on the playground?

Alyssa is now wearing her splint at night after some mass confusion. Her therapist called to confirm the removal of the splint and Lisa T. was quite surprised that Dr. Nath wouldn't want her to wear it at night. To make it a short story, we are putting it on at night now and will for the next 6 weeks.


Jody Gallette & Alysssa

We took our daughter out of school for the year. It was only preschool and the teachers said they thought she would be fine without pre k since she is a bright girl. We were afraid that she would fall on the playground or a child would pull on her arm. She will be in kindergarten in August so this gives us some more time to play until she has to be in school all of the time. We did have an episode where all of her cousins were together and one of the boys pulled on her affected arm and she let out a huge scream...she was fine, just a little scared.

We took our daughter out of school for the year. It was only preschool and the teachers said they thought she would be fine without pre k since she is a bright girl. We were afraid that she would fall on the playground or a child would pull on her arm. She will be in kindergarten in August so this gives us some more time to play until she has to be in school all of the time. We did have an episode where all of her cousins were together and one of the boys pulled on her affected arm and she let out a huge scream...she was fine, just a little scared.