United Brachial Plexus Network

*Copied from the General Message Board*

I thought I'd post this here as well. Thanks in advance!


Hello to all the long-time friends I see are still here as well as all the newer names I don't recognize! I give some of you so much credit for your consistency with this. I can't say that I've held any kind of consistency in helping others with BPI questions. Sorry! Nicole's BPI has not been as predominant of an issue here. I've kept pretty busy homeschooling for the past 2 years. Nicole's entering 4th grade now and I'm ready to take a break and send her back to school for a year or two anyway. This year is my last year of "fun" with Joshua before he's ready for Kindergarten. Plus I'm way behind on major house repairs. Anyway, what brings me here today is computer concerns.

Nicole's typing is very slow, as I'm sure is the case for most kids this age anyway. I looked into a one-handed typing program I found a website for and thought it looked pretty good. I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with it. They also recommend using a smaller / child-sized keyboard. I think the concept of the program is great because it uses the QWERTY method so you can still do it on a regular keyboard. Basically it entails giving the non-dominant / injured hand limited keys to control while the non-injured hand does the majority of the typing. The smaller keyboard helps to prevent the dominant hand from having to reach as far. Here's a link if anyone is interested:

http://www.aboutonehandtyping.com/

I'd love to get feedback from anyone who has experience with this program or with another program. Thanks. If this works out, I'm going to try to get the school to buy a smaller keyboard for Nicole to use at school and I'm also going to get them to okay her using this method. That's going to be part of my 504 Plan wish list. After H/S'g for 2 years, it's like starting all over with what to think of to ask the school for. They'd already dropped her from an IEP that included direct PT and OT services. She had very little services by the time we withdrew from school (basically periodic monitoring by the OT going into the classroom). I might wait until after the school year starts to even have my 504 meeting so I can better determine what we need. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. That's why I think I haven't been around the board -- I post too long of messages. ) Take care. Good to see you all again!

~Tina, mom to Nicole (9 y.o. w/LOBPI) and Joshua (4 y.o. -- c-section)

Hi Tina
So nice to see you. I bet the children have grown so much we would not recognize them.

I touch type with both hands. Even though my right hand is very weak and my pinkie and ring finger are mostly numb.
We all had to learn to touch type and I rest the pad of my right palm on the side of the keyboard. I type as quickly as some people speak and have no problem.

My only concern with one handed typing is the overuse of the unaffected hand. I watched the video and saw how much a person has to move their hands around the keyboard to type.
I just put both wrists flat on the front of my laptop and begin to type and it's less strain than on my split keyboard or my desktop.

Good luck with whatever you decide... If Nicole can use both her hands and all he fingers even a little it can be a form of exercise.

Kath robpi/adult

Hi, Kath. Thanks for the input. I should've given more info. regarding Nicole's hand. On her left hand, the index finger stays mostly straight / extended all the time (it bends slightly); her thumb stays extended and pretty much right up against her index finger; as for the other 3 fingers, they're curled into her palm and she can't extend them. I think she can definitely giver her left pointer finger some keys to control and maybe her left thumb a bit, but not the other three fingers. I think she will overuse her unaffected hand (is there really such a thing as an "unaffected hand" when you have a BPI???!), but I guess I'm just trying to minimize it as much as I reasonably can.

~Tina

Tina
Now I understand, I did not remember her hand like that.
I think she must learn to type because it will save her "unaffected" hand. Writing can take it's toll on our hands. I would most definitely look into a one handed keyboard. The younger she learns the better for her when she needs it to complete homework and reports.

No there is no such thing as "unaffected" our entire bodies are affected.

Kath robpi/adult

Hi Tina
I'm Mare my son Frankie is 15 yrs old and starting 10th grade. In the beginning of 6th grade the school added the one handed typing program into his IEP and the OT from the school worked with him but they didn't do a lot of computer work at that grade then he started having problems with over use of his right hand. His left is non functional so they put in his 504 plan that he could either use the speak and type program (he never used it)or I could type any reports for him. Now he types one handed very fast using his own way. He taught himself by emailing and IM'ing friends. I have found over the yrs that Frankie has pretty much learned to do everything on his own even tying his shoes the OT showed him one way he does it his own way. Its really hard for someone with two hands to show a one handed person things that need to be done repeatedly because the two handed person doesn't use one hand in real life. Every child will take what they are shown and change it to whats comfortable and easiest for them so I would just let her play on the computer I know in NJ there is no formal typing classes or rules like when I was in school as to where your fingers must be placed or not looking at the key board. I would also set up an IEP/504 plan before the start of the school yr and leave it open to changes during the year as needed. Frankie just met with his counsel and did his own 504 for next year at 15 no one knows what he needs more then him you might want to include your daughter in the meeting or ask for suggestions from her as to what will make school easier. Hope this helps Mare

I always hated the typing programs in middle and high school, i could never keep my hands in the position the the teacher wanted them in, so i was always getting lower marks on 'quizzes' because i had to look in order to type what i was supposed to. at this point i mostly type with my unaffected arm, and take up maybe 1/3 of the keyboard with my affected arm, yet i can move all of my fingers. i can type with one hand though, and fairly quickly at that... i amazed one of my friends one day by doing so casually while talking to her... lol! when i was younger i did type really slow as well, and i hated typing, now its difficult to get me away from a computer!!
~Mel, 20, LOBPI

My typing teacher in jr.high,that was 35 years ago started me in the middle of the key board. I learned the keys in a different way. I am not the fastest typer, but I did type my 7th grade year book.......Judy

Tina,
PLEASE consider including your daughter in ALL meetings with School Districts and Doc's/ therapists too. The younger they are part of everything they learn to advocate for themselves when you are not around...& like Mare said,Frankie now does it better than her at 15.

HURARY for Frankie!!!

HUGS all around,
Carolyn J
LOBPI & sometimes Bossy

I type one handed even though my right (injured) hand has pretty normal function, but my right wrist doesn't bend and flex normally so typing the traditional way making two handed typing uncomfortable. I also still look at the keys which is kind of funny because on my (five year old) iBook the letters wore off the keyboard so there's nothing to see.

Basically it works like this: my "home" keys are jtrs with my hand in the middle of the keyboard. With the smaller Mac keyboard i can reach a and l with the same hand (smaller 9 year old hands won't likely do this but I don't have very big hands to begin with). Then the OBPI right hand pushes the shift key to do capitals and symbols. It's slower than my mom types, having learned the old fashioned way, and slower than my younger sister types, after teaching herself from age 10 when she wanted to im with her friends 24/7.

On Yahoo there's a game called typer shark (http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc;_yl ... typershark) that is fun to play, kid-friendly and tests typing speed. Maybe she can play with that and develop her own method. I think they also sell smaller kid keyboards or you can buy the smaller Mac keyboard that plugs into a USB port making it PC-friendly.

I'd recommend letting her try and work it out on her own, there are a ton of ways to type effectively that will get her through school and papers and everything she needs to know to type up all her work. I have been through HS, college and grad school and have never had a problem with "my" method.
Carrie

Yes, I'm the same 1/3 style. Years ago I had a speed of 36 wpm. But I think I've gone down hill since. My wrist doesn't really flatten out so I find myself typing with my pinky, ring finger (both kinda numb feeling) and my index finger. My pinky stays at the shift key 99% of the time.

It's an odd typing style but it's comfortable for me.

The is a program for one-handed typing I saw on Jim Abbott's website. However I think that would work best with a kid sized keyboard. I do find it hard to reach across a standard size keyboard and am considering a smaller one just to try. I think the home keys are F G H J.

Good luck!

-Traci