United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Amy,you are an asset to this board. You provide much needed insight and inspiration to parents who are worried about their kid. Thank you.

Amy
I feel the say way you do about not reaching behind my back. If I have an itch, I can buy a back scratch-er that will reach... LOL... Or ask my husband to reach it... I think an itchy back might be the most irritating problem with not reaching my back... LOL...

Yes, it looks like a waste of energy to button with two hands... LOL...
Parents we manage very well no need to add any guilt to your life for taking what you feel is the best possible course of treatment for an injury you did not cause.

Kath (adult/robpi)

It's true, I CAN reach behind my back with both hands, but for me it's harder and a waste of energy, so like Amy I tuck my shirts in with just my right (I am LOBPI).
There are other things I could do 2 handed, but it's harder and not worth wasting the energy.
Kids will figure out ways to do things, don't worry too much parents! We are very ingenius and manage to do things in odd ways that work for us, LOL.
Marieke (LOBPI)

DawnV, Dani had the derotational (traditional) humeral osteotomy in Jan 2005. So many new phrases to learn, lol. Good Luck. Ask lots of questions to everyone you can. Especially UBPN, I would be lost without their support! - Dawn

Original poster here thanking for all you replies, but I guess I would like to particularly thank Krista, Mom to Ella.

Hello,
My son is now 8 years old. He was scheduled for a MOD Quad when he was 20 months old. He did not have the ability to reach behind his back then, and we were advised that loosing this function was a possibility with the MOD Quad. At surgery time, they decided to do a partial mod quad. Initially, he did loose mid line ability, buttoning pants, etc. However that did return around age 3. We always keep him him in OT PT or swimming. At age 5, we noticed that he could put his hand in back pocket with help from the other hand. Last year, he took a fall and after the fall he now can put his hand in his back pocket very easily. The Docs said that he must have broken up some scar tissue during the fall. We keep him in swimming all year round to loosen his shouldr.

I posted this original message, and since then her reach behind her back has improved dramatically: she dresses completely independently and before LICE she was pulling her hair in a pony-tail whenever she felt like it. Also her hand placement and arm strength in "wheelbarrow" activites (supporting her weight with both hands and then traveling with those two hands) is not perfect but my child will have some success here. And, also lying on her back, reaching both arms with flat hands behind her head to push up her body into an arched back....She has the courage and will to do that and she tries 40 times a day... my child is very, very active...

I know now/believe that it takes a good year to see real result of the mod quad, and I am now at 17 months post-op seeing alot of great things that I never imagined were possible for my child...

Just wanted to add my two cents...my son had the so called "full-cut" Mod Quad at age 18 months in 2001. He could not reach behind his back before the surgery, and not surprisingly couldn't do it after surgery either. However, just this summer I have noticed him putting his arm behind his back, and putting his hand on his hip without assistance from the other hand.(he is now almost 7) I never expected him to be able to do this, so we are thrilled! He has been in PT/OT since birth, and also does swimming and Tae Kwon Do regularly. I think the swimming and TKD have really helped him gain the additional movement. So don't give up! Sometimes it just takes time, and in my opinion persistent excercise helps tremendously.