United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

In the last 6 months or so my 9 year old DD has been complaining of pain in her affected arm for the first time. Sometimes she says it is like pins and needles. Other times she complains it is a shooting pain. Any suggestions of what is happening and what we can do?

Thanks!
Charmaine
(Karrie's Mom)

That sounds like nerve pain. Could she be going through a growth spurt? Even just the changes in puberty can set it off.

I suggest asking her MD about it, just to be sure she did not hurt herself without knowing it.

Marieke 33, LOBPI

My seven year old daughter complains about pins and needles frequently. We seemed to connect the fact that she complains about it when she has been sitting for longer periods of time. We think she holds her arm in the same position the whole time she is sitting. Maybe it is just the position the arm is in? I would definitely talk to a doctor about any pain.

Another thing why pins and needles in our BPI arms and hands. .. We BPI-er's have very poor circulation in our afected limbs. That's why masage to those limbs feels heavenly, especialy in cold weather.

Carolyn J
LOBPI adult/70

Frankie now 16 has always had arm pain when going through growth spurts, or running a fever just last week he got sick with a fever of just 99 and complain how bad his left arm was hurting. As far as the tingling he used to get that when he was younger the bpi docs said it could be the nerves letting alittle current through. 2 yrs ago he had the mod quad and Dr Nath removed scar tissue from one of his nerves and the tingling went away. Hope this helps Mare

I have something similar. Mine is apparently nerve pain. Turns out it's because my shoulder bones have grown in wrong. Maybe an X-ray or scan of some kind will turn up something.

I also started a new thread. My daughter is now 8. She has had the "pins and needles" sensation for 3-4 years now. It intensified the two years ago to an electrical shock sensation. It came and went and had been managable till the end of last year. She was having the sensation multiple times a day and it would last 45 to an 1 1/2 hrs. It was making very difficult for her to consentrate at school. Her neurologist started her on a low dose of nerontin (a drug used to treat eplieplsy). She has responded to it well and the episodes of "Static" as he calls it are less frequent, less intense, and last much shorter time.

I am sooo glad to learn that Roslyn is going better with pain meds, Cara.
HUgs,
Carolyn J
LOBPI "Gramma"

Cara
Frankie had the shocking pain for yrs it made him nuts and the meds made him tired when he had the mod quad Dr Nath said there was a build of of scar tissue he saw on some of the nerves and he cleaned them off this was two yrs ago and no shocking pains ever again he also got a small amount of finger movement non of this was related to the mod quad it was just seen during the operation so I would suggest seeing a neuro surgeon or ortho surgeon maybe there is a test of something that will show if there is scars on the nerves.In the mean time try hot compresses when the shocking starts this use to help Frankie he would even go to the nurse and get one during school. Hope this helps Mare