United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

First I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays.....
We went to therapy again this week Thomas is getting some movement in his shoulder he never had before its not much but its a start. He is still having a hard time learning to sit. The therapist said his muscles in his lower back are very week. He also is showing some sign of nerve damge in his left leg she could tell by the way his leg is doing. his foot is pointing out and when she pushes back on it it quivers. She said this was a sign of nerve damge wether it is from obpi or the possiblilty of a stroke we don't know so we are going to see another doctor in January and have an MRI. Just keep us in your thoughts and prayer. And if anyone else has had this same experiance please e-mail me. Thanks in advance . Carron and Thomas

Hi Carron...

Maia has left leg issues - her tone is very low in her torso, hips, etc. PT really keeps on top of these kind of things and Maia just recently got orthotics for her shoes - I understand that this will help with the alignment of it all - keep the foot in a more neutral position so that when she steps down, she steps in a more normal way..... and eventually it will help her hip structure and the bones form in a more normal way. The PT started working with her when she was around 6 months old and wasn't meeting developmental marks and we assume that we'll be working on it forever. We were told that low tone is nerve damage - all related to the birth stuff.

Happy Holidays,
francine

Happy Holidays Carron;

Katie was very weak in the lower torse at first (we were told not to expect her to walk until after age 3 at least) and each of the experts, therapists attributed it to the birth trauma (anoxia) and the OBPI. She started intense therapy very early, walked at 13 months and has the strength of a kangaroo in her legs now.

BUT she has a tremor that resembles a slight seizure (which does not show as a seizure on her video eeg) that has been related to autonomic nerve damage from the trauma. In fact, I ran into her Dr. at the mall yesterday and he was checking her out and told me he suspected it was as healed as it was going to get and he would medicate her when she was a little older. He too was concerned when he first saw her that she had stroked out (she never had the "stepping reflex" as a baby along with the quivering legs / weak torse too)but he has ruled that out completely. There was no proof of a bleed or any other signs of a stroke. He said that he sees this weakness in kids that had a traumatic birth and ends up with CP or OBPI (and other more cognitive related damages) as a result. And Katie didn't pick her head up until she was almost 5 months old and didn't sit until she was nine months old. She still can't do tummy time and pick her head up enough to see in front of her.

Perhaps he needs additional therapies to address this issue as well as the OBPI? Lots of ball time, standing (this is good for weight bearing too) at a small step stool that he can balance on as he needs to and still build strength in his leg. Feel free to email and we will keep you in our prayers.

Carron

We also have had doctors believe that Abbie has suffered a stroke. I've posted before reqarding our frustation that Abbie will be 11 months (tomorrow) and
we still have not been able to get a diagnosis.

Abbie had limited use of her left arm which has been
greatly improved though she still seems to be kinda
throwing her arm at the shoulder to do some movements.
When she was a few months old the neurologist did detect a weakness in her left leg which they feel has
since resolved, but who knows. I have nerve damage in
my leg from a back injury and for all practical purposes it is not noticable but it is still considerably weaker than my other leg. She also has
a right torticollis.

She did have an MRI last month but it did not show any
evidence of stroke. Abbie's neurologist tells me though that he has treated childern who have obviously had a stroke with more physical evidence without anything showing on the MRI.

I have started researching infant strokes but so far
have not really found anything that would help me to
pursue a diagnois. One thing I was told is that if you
were to have a stroke the best time would be when your
an infant since the brain is growing and regenerating
giving a better chance of recovery. One of Abbie's
doctors told me that "sick" babies (her words not mine)
often have strokes for unknown reasons and the only lasting effects is that they would have been a little smarter had they not had one but who would know (again her words not mine). One other thing to keep in mind is
the therapy would most likely be similar to any therapy
he already is receiving for a BPI injury.

I will keep you informed if I find anything that I think you may find useful. Keep me posted I will be
keeping Thomas in my prayers.

Carrie - Abbie's mom