Dear group - a friend of my daughter's, a 19 year old boy was in a farm accident and has fractures in three limbs and in the one without a fracture, the right upper, he had deep lacerations and now has had an extensor tendon repair. That hand is in a hard splint and he is to remove the splint 3x per day and perform active ROM into flexion to the point of pain. No self PROM or any PROM allowed. He can get his fingertips to one inch from the palm. He is totally dependent on his Mom right now for all self care, even needs help to urinate. (ugh!) He is going back to college on Monday with Mom with him and a tape recorder. My advice would be to take a semester off, but I have not been asked. But anyway he is to get the hard hand splint off in 2 weeks and have a soft cock up splint. I'm thinking he still won't have the grasp for writing and I would like to get him something. I'm thinking!
maybe a Dr Grip pen from Walmart, or a large slide on grip. Or do you think he would need something bigger and more expensive like the writing dove Ron was talking about? Well, as I write this i realize there is no way to anticipate and have the right thing on hand. I guess I could offer to try and help him with his writing grasp and bring a couple cheap things to try and a couple of catalogs. His Mom was a kindergarten teacher, so she may have her own solution for grasp problems. Maybe I should just butt out unless I am asked to help. I have offered my help through the PT - she wanted an OT referral but the private insurance would not pay - I am willing to help for free since I know them and she taught my kids and my daughter is friends with the Mom, the boy, and his brother. I could maybe offer my assistance once more by calling them myself and then if they don't call back, leave them alone, it is not my calling to force my soluti!
ons on people. -- Jody
