For many hand therapists, the thought of treating a child or adolescent creates a little bit of anxiety within; however, working with these kids is so rewarding! There are many unique aspects to providing hand therapy for the pediatric population. A pediatric hand therapist must have an understanding of normal anatomy and biomechanics of the upper extremity, as well as normal development to be able to recognize any abnormalities. Children typically heal faster than adults and might progress through therapy at a more rapid pace.
Every day can look a little different for me. I regularly treat kids who have sustained fractures in their elbow, wrist, hand or fingers. Not only do I work with these kids to regain their range of motion or strength, but many times we are working on return to sport or other extracurricular activities. We can usually tell what sport is in season based on the injuries! I also work with kids with cerebral palsy who have undergone tendon transfers to improve functional use of their hand. Twice a week, I work alongside our hand surgeon in clinic fabricating orthoses. Working with kids with congenital hand differences requires a little bit of creativity when it comes to making orthoses. My favorite is when I say to a kid “you’re really making me think!”
Because many of these children are followed in our clinics until they “graduate” and age out of our pediatric system, I have the privilege of watching them grow up. For the children with hand differences, this can mean seeing them navigate starting school and how they will use scissors or tie their shoes or learning how to play a sport or musical instrument. I love being able to develop a relationship with these families and see these kids come back and show me what new things they are able to do despite their hand differences.
Pediatric hand therapy is a specialty within a specialty. If you are interested in pediatric hand therapy, be sure to look at content at the ASHT Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Sessions will be available about adolescent hand injuries, little league elbow, pediatric elbow injuries and radial longitudinal disorders. Come to these sessions to network with other pediatric hand therapists and learn more about treating young hands!