{"id":2150,"date":"2026-01-12T22:40:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T22:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcchr.ca\/brachial-plexus\/?page_id=2150"},"modified":"2026-03-12T21:42:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T21:42:06","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bcchr.ca\/brachial-plexus\/families\/faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t<\/span>\n\tTreatment of Brachial Plexus Palsy<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

FAQs<\/h1>

Learn more about wearing a splint or cast.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Splint<\/h2>\n
How do I know how much a splint should be worn?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Your treatment team will guide you in the recommended splint wear schedule, which will depend your child\u2019s individual abilities and stage of treatment, such as age, active arm movements, ease of stretching exercises at specific joints, and developmental progress.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n

Will this injury and\/or splinting affect my child\u2019s development?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Developmental progress is individual for each child. In general, children with an isolated brachial plexus injury do not experience a delay in their gross motor development skills. However, we encourage such skills as crawling and weight bearing on the arms for as long as possible, as this supports strengthening of the arm joints.

Prolonged splinting or a period of casting, throughout most of the day, may be necessary to maximize the recovery of your child\u2019s shoulder positioning. While any immobilization protocol may result in a temporary delay in achieving gross motor milestones, such as independent sitting and crawling, we have found these children catch up to their peers very quickly once the cast or splint is tapered from the daytime hours \u2013 typically by 10 to 12 months of age.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n

Do I need to get special clothing to accommodate a splint?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

No specialized clothing is required to accommodate the splint, but parents have offered the following modification recommendations:

\u2022 Cut off the sleeve of the involved side
\u2022 Cut slits in the sleeve for the Velcro straps to come through
\u2022 Wear larger size clothing

Modified jacket pattern<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n

How do I get my child in a car seat with a splint on?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

No modifications are required. Not having the ER straps on in the car seat is part of the wear schedule.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n

How do children tolerate wearing a splint?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

We find children tolerate the splinting very well, especially when started at an early age. Successful parents tell us that establishing a routine and discipline around use of the splint is key and becomes as natural as brushing your teeth.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n


Cast<\/h2>\n
Do I need to get special clothing to accommodate a cast?<\/strong><\/summary>\n