Neha

A congenital limb deficiency present in a child is both physically and emotionally distressing, as it affects not just loss of function and sensation but also the body image due to functional disability. 

Neha, a 14 year old  child  also  had  been through this, as  part of her  left arm from  the  below the elbow  was missing  at  birth, and  the remaining  part did  not function properly. Due to the lower socio-economic condition of the parents, as wella s their lack of awareness, they did not get a prosthetic device till Neha was a teenager.   

DCCW team identified and made efforts to obtain a functional limb replacement device. Then Transradial  Prosthesis  was prescribed from  Kiwani  Dharmavira  Artificial limb centre,  replaced  her  forearm missing below the elbow and  worked on  Cable operated mechanism for the limb. This will help her to gain confidence in initiating activities of daily living. 

Learning to use a prosthesis takes hard work and practice. Multi-disciplinary professionals aimed at rehabilitating her to the maximum level of independence. The team of DCCW Physiotherapist & Occupational Therapist assessed and worked on  her  needs  with regards to the activities of daily living, use of device by training  movements used to control terminal device with voluntary opening and closing for grasp and release mechanism .

Strength training protocol for the residual limb was carried out with resistive aids along with operation of the device with body movements.  Soon Neha became independent in donning and doffing of prosthesis.  The Upper limbs function aimed to engage her in tasks like manipulation, expression of feeling and exploration of environment.

Now she has started bilateral use of hands in day to day activities of life which gives her both, functional, and emotional satisfaction. She can  hold, lift and release objects.     

She is in long term follow-up for the therapy and has to wear the limb for 5-6 hours in a day. The rehabilitation process was fraught with difficulties, both physical and emotional.  Now she is living her life with the motivation & perseverance given by the  team.

May be in future, child may get a more advanced prosthetic limb which would take her to different level of functioning by overcoming limitations of the present device.