15 Nov Have you been told that your Baby has Erb’s Palsy

Have you noticed that Baby  is not moving one arm as much as the other

Erb’s palsy is a form of brachial plexus palsy. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves near the neck that give rise to all the nerves of the arm. These nerves provide movement and feeling to the shoulder, arm, hand, and fingers. Palsy means weakness, and brachial plexus birth palsy causes arm weakness and loss of motion.

One or two of every 1,000 babies have this condition. Brachial plexus stretch injuries in newborns usually occur during a difficult delivery, such as with a large baby, a breech presentation, or a prolonged labor. They may also happen when a birth becomes complicated and the person assisting the delivery must deliver the baby quickly and exert some force to pull the baby from the birth canal. If one side of the baby’s neck is stretched, the nerves may also be stretched, and injury may result.

Most infants with brachial plexus birth palsy will recover both movement and feeling in the affected arm, often with daily Physiotherapy exercises. Nerves grow and recover very slowly; it may take up to 2 years for a complete recovery. 

3 Key  Factors to promote successful recovery in Erb’s Palay includes
1. Protecting the arm and nerves from further damage and injury when handling baby  everyday,
2. Stretching the arm to prevent muscle shortening in the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. As baby is unable to move their arm and hand, the muscles  will over time tend to contract into a position where the elbow and wrists are bend. This will impact on Baby’s hand function later on.
3. Encouraging active movement in the arm muscles and using the arm. It is important to place Baby in positions of play so that baby can learn to use their affected arm. A Expert Paediatric Physiotherapist  is the best person to help assess your Baby’s Erb’s Palsy and you tailor an individualised treatment plan for your Baby.

If you have concerns about your Baby’s arm function, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today! Early Intervention matters!