Newborn diagnosed with Erb's Palsy

[chip718]

Hello. First let me start off by saying that if I posted this in the wrong forum I apologize. I am just a desperate parent looking for some honest answers.

My wife and I had a baby boy 3 months ago. They delivery was very rough. My baby got stuck and had to be pulled out. The doctor that came to see me after he was born told me that is left arm was "floppy". They did an x-ray and found no broken bones. The next day I meet with a the head of Neonatology and he told me that my baby started to move his arm early that morning and it appears that the nerves only appeared to be stretched and it will heal on its own.

After we took the baby home from the hospital our pediatrician wanted him to be evaluated by a physical therapist. She gave us 3 contact numbers, but when we called all 3 were surprised that she requested an eval on a 6 day old baby. My wife works at a preschool and one of her friends who is a physical therapist came over and said that she sees him moving his arm, shoulder and flexing his elbow, but it is way to early to determine anything.

It has been 3 months since he was born and he really is moving his arm much more, but I noticed that he cant really reach out straight with that arm. He has no problem holding it up over his head or to the side, it is just straight out.

I have been reading a lot about Erb's Palsy. I am afraid that the doctors are just telling me what I want to hear. I just like to know how realistic is a full recovery?

Also, can anyone recommend a good type of massage therapy for an infant?

Thanks for any info. I really appreciate it.

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[shinydan]

its quite early,,but u try to take a second opinion frm an experienced paediatric physiotherapist.

[physiobob]

You can also look at a video in our Physio Video section on how this can occur during child birth.

See the following link: 3D Medical Animation: Shoulder Dystocia Birth Injury

On our Physio Shop we have a book on paediatric massage which might shed some light on this issue for you.

The link to this is: Pediatric Massage Therapy 2nd Edition

Different muscles can be used to hold the arm out in front as opposed to holding the arm over the head. This might indicate some residual weakness and a good paediatrics physiotherapist should be able to put the parts together in a young child but at the bay level clinical assessment of the specifics is very difficult.

To be very frank the plasticity of the nervous system in a new born is amazing. Perhaps in part because it is still evolving. We see brachial plexus injuries in adults all the time and often these recover very well indeed. I would therefore remain very optimistic that your child will have an excellent, if not full recovery. Just keep any eye on things but it sounds like the progression is already in the right direction. Do involved the local paeds Physio in assisting you to form a home based program in the coming months for play therapy that will stimulate movement in the directions that are perhaps still needing a boost.

We wish you well

[chip718]

Thanks for both you replies to my post. I really appreciate it.

[estherderu]

dear chip,
I would suggest you read a lot about the Erb´s palsy and especially the information given by most parent organisations.
The following sites are of some parent organsiations
United Brachial Plexus Network
Birth Trauma Association
ERBS PALSY
Erb's Palsy Group
Hope this is of some help.

kind regards esther

[sathishcg]

Hi,

I have been blessed with a baby boy on Nov 15th 2007. It was a tough delivery and my baby's shoulder struck in the mother's pelvis bone. He is suffreing from Erb's Palsy.The symptoms are very similar to yours. How is your baby's recovery now ? What type of exercises you follow ? Your inputs will be of great info for us. We are totally depressed and would like to get info from you. Thanks.

Hello. First let me start off by saying that if I posted this in the wrong forum I apologize. I am just a desperate parent looking for some honest answers.

My wife and I had a baby boy 3 months ago. They delivery was very rough. My baby got stuck and had to be pulled out. The doctor that came to see me after he was born told me that is left arm was "floppy". They did an x-ray and found no broken bones. The next day I meet with a the head of Neonatology and he told me that my baby started to move his arm early that morning and it appears that the nerves only appeared to be stretched and it will heal on its own.

After we took the baby home from the hospital our pediatrician wanted him to be evaluated by a physical therapist. She gave us 3 contact numbers, but when we called all 3 were surprised that she requested an eval on a 6 day old baby. My wife works at a preschool and one of her friends who is a physical therapist came over and said that she sees him moving his arm, shoulder and flexing his elbow, but it is way to early to determine anything.

It has been 3 months since he was born and he really is moving his arm much more, but I noticed that he cant really reach out straight with that arm. He has no problem holding it up over his head or to the side, it is just straight out.

I have been reading a lot about Erb's Palsy. I am afraid that the doctors are just telling me what I want to hear. I just like to know how realistic is a full recovery?

Also, can anyone recommend a good type of massage therapy for an infant?

Thanks for any info. I really appreciate it.