United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My grandson is 5 years old and has a ROPBI. He is currently in kindergarden but will start 1st grade next year. He is able to move his arm but has almost no movement on his wrist and fingers. So far, we have been able to find him pants with elastic waistbands which are easy for him to put on by himself and use the bathroom at school, etc. but I don't think we'll be able to find these types of pants next year. Does anyone have any advice on how to manage the zippers and buttons on his pants? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Very interesting Maybe this will Help??
My answer for this is I use a slightly larger pair of pants so you just pull them up the button is already button and zipper is up you just have to tighten the belt a little more Forget buttoning shirts impossible to keep tuck in on one side Stick with pull overs Tie shoes before you put them on then just use a shoe horn. When putting on a shirt or coat put the Crazy arm in the sleeve first You learn a lot of tricks to adapt at 61 years, birth erbs
Mr Positive,or the caveman with birth erbs without treatment ever, Drove a semi for 25 years with birth erbs, It amazing what you can teach yourself by trying
Ok I also started with minimal use of my hand The best thing for me was a tennis ball to squeezes to start when I was little my grasp increase over time so I start to squeezes a regular small rubber ball. You can adapt a lot if you can just gain grasp to just hold things in the Crazy hand it how I could hold on to a semi steering wheel between shift on a 18 wheeler By improving Grasp If you can in life, I think
Hope this helps??
Tom

i think it would be a good idea to just hand him a pair of pants, shirt, etc he is going to be wearing and let him practice buttoning them while they are not on him. that will strengthen his fingers and give him the coordination he needs to fasten them. once he gets comfortable with that, then put them on him and do the same thing till he gets comfortabale with that. as far as zippers on sirts and jackets, i sewed a small ring on the bottom of the flat side of the zipper (the opposite side of the zipper pull) then put my thumb in the ring to hold it down. that works really well. good luck.

Thank you Tom and jmar for your replies. I appreciate your suggestions and I will definitely have my grandson try them. God bless.

Hi Hpuente,
That was Soooo interesting
Its amazing how you become self thought to get past limitation in life I like JARMAR answer to What ever comes with the will change by the way and become there own way for sure We can offer our ways of doing thing we self taught ourselves and share a How to that might help, FOr sure
God bless you to,
Tom

Your grandson is definitly NOT limited to what he can wear. I wear blue jeans every day when I get home from work. they are button at top with zipper on bottom and because I have gained a little weight they are now tight, but I have no problem with the buttom.Looking down at your pants, I take my thumb to the right side of the button and then my index finger slightly in the button hole then bring the two togher until button slips in the hole. button up no problem kind of the same tech, a little practice and he will master it. oh yeah just to let you know i have no use of my left arm or hand. Shoe laces is a different story, I wear my clothing some what tight not baggy and don't want my footwear lose, I stick to slip on boots....

There are so many ways to adapt in dressing and who ever post there Unique style , may help someone new trying to figuring dressing out. This may help give them choices to try to learn to dress till they find a unique way to dress to

It might help to review are way we eat and share our ways to and post??

Just thinking??
Tom

My son, Javier is 8 and wears size 10/12. I order clothes from CW kids, Walmart.com and JCPenneys. No problem finding elastic waist pants, short, khakis, and jeans. He likes to dress nice, and does not like wearing sweats all the time.He has limited use of his right arm and no function of right wrist, hand and fingers. He wears polo shirts, t-shirts and sweaters.

Hope this helps. I have tried tailoring clothes, and haven't found anything that works.

Marlyn
marlyncma@hotmail.com

There are alot of new families...bumping up. UBPN is ALSO on Facebook
Carolyn J
LOBPI/74

Thanks for all of the info. I too was wondering about this dilemma as we will be in the same situation with our daughter in a few years. She will be two in August and still has no wrist hand or finger movement (yet). I am trying to get ideas now on how to help her do things one handed, for now, especially with dressing herself.