United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Thank you and everyone for your support regarding my message "Hard word to hear". I have a question for you regarding Maia's weight. I know you said that she did not walk until she was 22 months old. How much did she weigh at that point? Gabrielle's spine looks good and there are no contractures so we can hold off on the Mod Quad a few months. She will have the brain MRI on Monday. The Neurologist thinks the delay in walking may be due to her weight. She is 40 lbs. at 20 months old. She is also going to have her hormone levels checked for the weight problem. (That runs in my family) Thanks for any input you may have.

http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/secondary.html

check out the pictures at the top of this page....how does Maia compare? I don't remember how much she weighed then - probably somewhere between 35 & 42

nobody connected her weight with walking late - at least they didn't tell me... maybe they didn't tell me because I am so heavy and they didn't know how to broach the subject? it's all possible. But Maia's weight has stabilized and holding steady in the low to middle 40's for the longest time - she is growing in the up direction now and she's looking thinner all the time - she's also very active but I think the thing that shifted it the MOST was her stopping to drink her bottles.... they eat food AND drink bottles - that was her heaviest time... then she went to only a bottle at night.... then she went to that one bottle but it was 3/4 chamomile tea and only 1/4 rice milk...and that's the point where her weight started shifting.

Are you carbohydrate intolerant? (like me?) you can email me if you want... francine@injurednewborn.com

oh - about checking the hormone levels...you can ask them for EMLA before they do the blood test....she won't feel a thing - it has to be put on 1 hour before they needle stick and have them put it on in a couple of different place in case they have to try to test her in different areas, if one doesn't work.... You have to tell them about EMLA in advance so that they work it into the "schedule" because you'll be there an hour longer. In my mind it's completely worth it! Makes it much less traumatizing - and Lord knows that these kids go through enough!

Tina, for whatever it's worth, I think there's some logic in the thought of her weight being a factor for her delay in walking. This is based on nothing but my non-medical hunch. What do you think? I remember thinking that before when Francine previously mentioned Maia's delayed walking. Wouldn't you think a PT would know if there was a corelation? What does Gabrielle's PT think? Take care. -Tina