Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has become a popular method for helping your child with this birth injury. That’s because of how physical therapy has been proven to improve the range of motion and strengthen the body’s muscles. In most cases, Erb’s palsy will heal within one to four months, but this also depends on the severity of the child’s symptoms. In some cases, doctors will choose physical therapy as a way of accompanying surgery. In some milder cases, they might only work to help the child improve their weaker areas.
Hydrotherapy
Like with cerebral palsy, hydrotherapy has also proven helpful with Erb’s palsy. This form of physical therapy has proven helpful because of its anti-gravity environment, which removes the stress on the child’s musculoskeletal frame. Your child will learn how to move around more easily while experiencing less pain when doing it. Hydrotherapy has also been said to encourage your child’s natural movements, and it strengthens the muscles while lowering the number of spasms experienced.
Surgery
For the more extreme cases, your child will most likely have to undergo surgery because this can improve their condition. In some cases, doctors might first recommend physical therapy, but if the child doesn’t seem to improve, they may opt for surgery. Some of the surgeries that might be recommended include nerve graft repairs and nerve decompression. A nerve graft repair involves the nerves getting taken from part of the sensory nerves. Once it gets set in place, it will regenerate the nerve fibers. Second, you have the option of nerve decompression. This procedure is minimally invasive, and it follows up with an incision that intends to decompress the nerves.
Occupational Therapy
Sometimes doctors will recommend that your child goes through occupational therapy. They typically do this form of therapy after the child sustained long-term damage. They might also work with the doctor on an everyday basis to learn some of the most important activities like tying your shoes, drawing, eating, and playing. You have some cases where Erb’s palsy treatment will involve using specialized equipment to help the child with daily activities.
Fortunately, most of the children who have received surgery for this birth disorder have shown to improve significantly after. When they combine it with other forms of therapy, it has especially been shown to help.