4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Forum for parents of injured who are seeking information from other parents or people living with the injury. All welcome
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JessicasMom
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:59 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 10 year old Jessica born on 9/6/03 with a LOBPI.
Mostly recovered, no surgery, still has remaining functional deficits
including no active external rotation.
Location: The Woodlands, TX

4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by JessicasMom »

she's bringing her hand to her mouth with the back of her hand.
I realize she can not supinate yet, but I don't really understand why. Supinating is the only thing she can not do right now. Physically her arm appears completely normal -- except when she brings her hand to her mouth with the back of her hand. Otherwise, her hand functions perfectly, she can get her arm over her head, and her hand rests and stays in the neutral position.

Has anyone seen this with their child? Did it get better without surgery, and if not, what is the specific surgery to correct this?

Also, what is the reason for not being able to supinate yet? Is it that the nerve has not regenerated far enough to reach the supinator muscle or something else?

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Michelle
Francine_Litz
Posts: 2199
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 9:03 pm

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by Francine_Litz »

supination doesn't come for a child (without any issues) until 11 months or so... in the "normal" developmental scale

make sure your therapists aren't PUSHING supination heavily because it's easy to dislocate the radial head... just an fyi

-francine
Francine_Litz
Posts: 2199
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 9:03 pm

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by Francine_Litz »

read the article about supination here...

go to the home page...click on awareness.... go to resources...and there's the article...

it'll help I'm sure...
-francine
AnonymousParent
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2003 11:15 am

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by AnonymousParent »

I saw this with my son when he was 4 months as well. I used to look at the symmetry of how he could turn his other hand to his mouth, but not his BPI affected one. He hit the back of his BPI hand on his mouth.

He's now about 15 months old and can get his hand to the neutral position, so he's still not totally symmetrical. He has improved significantly over time and it sounds like you'll see the same. It's something we're still working on with him in thearapy.

He's had no surgery and from what I've read, I don't think there is a procedure to address supination directly. If necessary for other deficits, the muscle transfer surgeries and releases put the arm in a more natural position, so the supination issues are not as noticeable.
JessicasMom
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:59 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 10 year old Jessica born on 9/6/03 with a LOBPI.
Mostly recovered, no surgery, still has remaining functional deficits
including no active external rotation.
Location: The Woodlands, TX

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by JessicasMom »

She rubs her face like crazy with the palm of her hand of her non-injured arm, but rubs her face with the backside of her hand of her injured arm, I thought this was because she can supinate with her non-injured hand, but not with her injured (left) hand.

If it's not supination, what is the reason she only brings the backside of hand to her mouth and can only rub her face with the backside of her hand?
JessicasMom
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:59 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 10 year old Jessica born on 9/6/03 with a LOBPI.
Mostly recovered, no surgery, still has remaining functional deficits
including no active external rotation.
Location: The Woodlands, TX

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by JessicasMom »

I forgot to mention that she holds her injured hand in her mouth with her good hand, so I guess there is still some weakness. However, if you were to observe her playing, you couldn't tell she had an injury until she put her hand in her mouth and you could see that she was using the back of her hand. Otherwise, her posture appears completely normal.
SarahB
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:31 pm

Re: 4 month old doesn't need primary, but . . .

Post by SarahB »

Hi Michelle,
It sounds like your daughter is making great progress in just 4 months- which is so wonderful. From what I understand (and I am NO expert, just a mom) supinating is related to the bicep. Our therapists believe that our daughter can't supinate because her bicep is weak.
She is 9 months old and can supinate with her other hand and has been able to for the past month or two. Ask your therapists, they will be able to explain it better. Hope this helps.
Sarah
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