720-777-0123
-
Conditions & Advice
Parenting Tips and Advice
From bringing home a new baby to building trust with your teen, our pediatric experts share guidance to help you navigate the ups and downs of parenthood.
-
Your Visit
Click to find the locations nearest you
Find locations by region
See all locations -
Research & Innovation
It starts with a Q:
For the latest cutting-edge research, innovative collaborations and remarkable discoveries in child health, read stories from across all our areas of study in Q: Advances and Answers in Pediatric Health.
Hand and Upper Extremity Program
Brachial Plexus Injury/Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy
We treat kids like they should be treated: like kids. That’s why we designed our hospital just for them.
What is the brachial plexus nerve?
The brachial plexus is a group of nerves between the neck and the shoulder. The nerves start in the spinal cord in the neck and then branch into the arm, forearm and hand. These nerves give the arm, forearm and hand their feeling and move the muscles in these areas.
What is a brachial plexus injury?
A brachial plexus injury occurs when one of the brachial plexus nerves is pinched, torn or cut. These injuries differ in how severe they are, how much they will improve and how long it will take for them to improve. The nerves can be harmed by pressure and/or by being stretched.
What is brachial plexus birth palsy?
Brachial plexus birth palsy is an injury to the brachial plexus nerves that happens when a baby is being born. A brachial plexus injury in a newborn is one of the most common injuries that can occur during birth, especially in difficult deliveries.
Why you should choose Children's Colorado for your child's brachial plexus injury or brachial plexus birth palsy treatment
Our team provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to your child’s care. This means you have access to leading specialists from multiple departments who work together to treat your child.
Your child's care team includes pediatric experts from:
- Physical medicine
- Rehabilitation
- Orthopedic surgery
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Occupational therapy
- Nursing
Children with brachial plexus problems often need ongoing care throughout their lives. The team at the Brachial Plexus Clinic is committed to following patients through childhood and adapting their care plan as needs change.
About our Hand and Upper Extremity Program
Our Hand and Upper Extremity Program consists of experts from different disciplines who specialize in conditions affecting the hands and extremities like brachial plexus nerve damage. Your child's care team includes pediatric experts from orthopedic surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and physical medicine and occupational therapy and nursing.
What are the signs and symptoms of brachial plexus birth palsy?
Babies and children with a brachial plexus injury may have:
- Limited or no motion of the fingers, wrist, elbow or shoulder
- Arm bent at the elbow and held against the body
- Tightness
- Decrease in feeling in the shoulder, arm or hand
How is a brachial plexus injury diagnosed?
A brachial plexus injury is often found during an exam right after birth. The doctor may order extra tests such as:
- X-rays
- Ultrasound
- MRI
- EMG (nerve tests)
- CT scan
These tests help diagnose the injury and its severity so the doctor can decide the best treatment.
What is the treatment for brachial plexus injury?
Our treatment plans may include both surgical and nonsurgical options.
Therapy
Therapy often starts soon after a baby or child is diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury. Therapy may involve stretching and range-of-motion exercises, splinting or casting, and helping with normal everyday activities.
Therapists at Children's Colorado work with families/caregivers to create a specific program for each child under the direction of doctors.
Botox shots
The team may decide to have the rehab medicine doctor inject a medicine called Botox (botulinum toxin) to relax the muscles. If the muscles are relaxed, they are less likely to pull the joints into the wrong position. This procedure is done under general anesthesia in the operating room.
Surgery
The team may decide surgery is needed if the brachial plexus injury is severe. The surgeon will decide the best surgery for your child and talk about each of the choices with you (and your child if appropriate).
The surgeries most often used to fix a brachial plexus injury include:
- Nerve graft or nerve transfer: using nerves from another place in the body to do the job of an injured nerve in the area of the brachial plexus injury
- Muscle transfer or tendon transfer: moving a muscle or tendon from another area in the body to do the job of an injured muscle or tendon in the area of the brachial plexus injury
- Osteotomy: a cut in the bone to change the position or shape of a bone
What are the long-term side effects of a brachial plexus injury?
Every child born with a brachial plexus injury is different. Some injuries are mild and some are severe. As your child gets older, their shoulder, arm and hand may look and move differently from a typical child if the injury is not treated correctly. Some of these differences are more noticeable than others. The arm may be shorter and smaller and may not move as well as the arm that was not injured.
At Children's Colorado, our goal is to make sure your child gets the best care possible to treat their brachial plexus injury and eliminate long-term side effects.
Next steps
-
Would you like to learn more about us?
Learn more about the Brachial Plexus Center -
Do you have questions about your child’s condition?
720-777-6600 -
Are you ready to schedule an appointment?
Schedule an appointment
Compassionate care, wherever you are
We’re here when you need us. Telehealth appointments are available across every specialty, so you can get the high-quality care we’ve always offered from the comfort, privacy and convenience of home.
See if telehealth is right for you
