3 yr old with tbpi

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
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Paula
Posts: 699
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2002 11:52 pm

3 yr old with tbpi

Post by Paula »

I spoke with the mom of a 3 yr old with a tbpi today.
This May will be the 2nd yr anniversary of the accident. He was run over and now has no use of his arm. The mother said that at first the docs were telling her to amputate the arm and that that would be the best thing to do since all the nerves were avulsed. She is really interested in knowing more about the surgeries available now but tbpi is so different from obpi. Do you think there is hope for this little guy? He was 1.9 yrs at the time of the accident and is now 3 yrs old.
Paula
jennyb
Posts: 1183
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.

Re: 3 yr old with tbpi

Post by jennyb »

Hi Paula
How sad, that poor little boy. He might benefit from surgery, or he might not, it probably would be a good idea to see a specialist. You're right, tbpi is different in many ways, altho he is only a small child so an obpi specialist might be ok in his case. I would think it unlikely he would benefit from nerve grafts this late post accident, but secondary surgery would possibly help, especially as he's so young.
Amputation is often suggested for adult tbpi because so many of us have multiple avulsions with little chance of recovery. I sometimes wonder if my spine would be in better shape now if I'd agreed to it, a flail arm is a lot of weight to carry around. But I guess I could do it now, and I'm not, so......one day maybe.
Let us know how the little boy goes if you can, I'd be very interested. Wish his mother all the best. Jen NZ
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 19873
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:59 pm

Re: 3 yr old with tbpi

Post by admin »

I think that doctors like Carlstead(UK) or Nath (USA) should give their best to try improve that 3yr old child. I think that if they know about that situation, they should try that with no costs, is a humanity situation save that child. And there are big possibilities to recover after surgery, because his age.
Try contact that doctors, or go to the newspapers, I am sure they have a positive answer, or this world is really mistaken...
Best to you
Paulo G
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