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Effects from birth brachial plexus injury and postural control

Elizabeth Ridgway1, Maria Valicenti-McDermott, Lillian Kornhaber

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, RF Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. elizabeth.ridgway@einstein.yu.edu

The Journal of Pediatrics
|February 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with birth brachial plexus injury often show postural control deficits affecting their entire body. Treatment should focus on holistic motor development, not just the injured limb, for better outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Physical therapy

Background:

  • Birth brachial plexus injury (BBPI) is a significant concern in neonatology.
  • Postural control deficits are common sequelae of neurological conditions in infants.
  • Early identification of motor impairments is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of postural control deficits in children with BBPI.
  • To characterize the nature of motor impairments associated with BBPI.
  • To inform management strategies for children with BBPI.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 32 children diagnosed with BBPI.
  • Clinical assessment of postural control, including posture and movement patterns.
  • Evaluation of motor development across the entire body.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence (31/32 children) of postural control deficits was observed.
  • Common deficits included asymmetrical posture and atypical movement patterns.
  • Impairments extended beyond the affected upper extremity.

Conclusions:

  • Postural control deficits are a near-universal finding in children with BBPI.
  • Comprehensive management addressing whole-body motor development is essential.
  • Interventions should target global motor function for optimal recovery in BBPI.

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