United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

We would like to gather some input for the symposium.



If your therapist was coming to a bpi symposium, what information would you think is extremely important for him/her to walk away with.

What's the message - what's the big picture.




Thanks for your help and support with this...
We have a chance to really educate 200 therapists and I want it to be very comprehensive.

-francine and allison

Is there anything we can teach them that will be life changing for them?

Hi Francine and Allison,
I love our therapist, but I don't think he understands the chain reaction of problems this injury causes. It is hard work and corrections for the entire lifetime- fixing one thing just in time to go onto the next on the list or a new problem and how that relates to therapy as well as dealing with the children and parents.
wish I could go- hope there is a video-
Jenny

Hi Francine and Allison,

Great question.
I think for me, after living with this injury for 50 years, the big picture is that this is an injury that affects the whole body. The unaffected arm gets overused. How does one prevent that from happening?

Nancy

To understand the injury well enough to know how it will impact the child in school.

Also, to have a better understanding of the surgeries, what they aim to accomplish, and how to do therapy afterward

claudia

(1) To know that when a drastic change in function occurs and to contact the specialist or take a video and send it to the specialist asap. Parents need to be guided on when it's ok to wait and see and when it's NOT ok to wait and see. A severe loss of function is never a good thing.

(2) To understand and give a little more space to parents of infants because there are so many emotions. To understand that parents of an infant who was injured are angry and have a hard time trusting.

(3) To know that sometimes kids and moms need a break just because things can be tough at time.

(4) Write professional notes - all of it will be read for a lawsuit. Stay out of things that are not your business. If the mother shares a personal story it does not have to go in the notes.

(5) TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN NEVER PICK A CHILD WITH BPI UP BY THEIR ARMS!!!

(6) To know that these children do have pain and they do suffer from pain when the weather changes and it is cold outside.

1.) To be able to identify a posterior dislocation, and a radial head dislocation.

2.) To know what NOT to do to cause either to happen.

3.) Check with the BPI specialist before using any type of splint.

4.) To be able to work with the parent as a team. Listen to what the parent is sharing about the child. The parent is more in-tune than anyone.

5.) Do not discourage a parent who decides on surgery. Ask questions from the parent, ask for information. Sometimes PT, and OT just isnt enough to solve the problem.

6.) Keep personal opinions out of the progress notes!!!

7.) It is extremely difficult when the child is an infant. Respect the parents emotions. There is nothing worse in the world than seeing your baby screaming while being ranged.

If a child doesn't make progress doesn't mean that they should be discharged. They may be on a growth spurt and that can last for a couple of months or more.