Hand Surgery for a Child With Cerebral Palsy?

We recently received this question via email:

"My daughter isn't able to use her hand very well. She can bend her elbow well enough and move her shoulder, but the hand is not able to perform finger-to-finger grasping movements. I have looked everywhere for a doctor who specializes in HAND surgery for children with cerebral palsy. I have emailed and called doctors all over and haven't received much of a response. Please help! If you know of any surgeons or have heard of this surgery being performed I will be indebted to you..."

---Jan

Hi Jan,

First of all, I'd like to thank you for visiting our website! We are proud to know that you would reach out to us as a resource for information about cerebral palsy.

In regards to your question, what you seem to be describing is a situation that may require orthopedic surgery. This is a procedure that lengthens a tendon to increase the range of motion. You can learn more about the process here. Depending on the area where you live, there should be a number of doctors who specialize in this procedure. I would suggest doing a local search in Google for "orthopedic surgeon" and your city name. You may also wish to try out the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. They may be able to help you find the right doctor.

Thanks for your email, Jan!