Trisha,
Mind if the nosy OT buts in a bit?  Have you discussed your concerns with
the OT's at school ?  (I know I'm in it for asking that one)
Barring that I've added a few tips that might be helpful.  Answers are
below:


Elizabeth Thiers, OTR
email: [log in to unmask]
homepage: http://www.bv.net/~john/bethsot1.html

----------
> From: Trisha Cummings <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Right Hemi
> Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 12:48 PM
>
> Kyle,
>
>
> >right-hemi, struggling with pain and spasticity exacerbated by the aging
> >process.
>
>     Amber is Right Hemi but more importantly the question is the
involvement
> level - How well does your right hand perform? Amber in the mild to
moderate
> range. mild because she can walk? moderate because she can't do all her
own
> self care? I am asking becasue typing is becoming an insurmountable odd
and
> Fairfax county can't afford a voice recognition for her and her hand -
the
> finger don't move - she moves her hand  so a key board is slow for her.
We
> have also come to a major impass at opening cans - she can't used the
turny
> kind nor the electric becasue botyh require 2 hands, cans that come with
> pull off lids are dangerous for her - she already seriously cut her
twice. I
> do the stuff for her now - but I can't be there for the rest of life
opening
> pudding, fruit or cat foods cans. Perhaps if you're close to her ability
> level you can share your magic.

You may wish to try to get voice recognition once Amber is a little farther
along puberty.  Even girls change their voices. Is she getting keyboarding
instruction at school?  Have the assistive technology team tried using
different kinds of keyboard access with her such as a smaller keyboard,
keyguards, intellikeys, etc to access a smaller word processor such as an
AlphaSmart?  Once Amber is over 14 see if you can get your state Voc Rehab
to pay for a computer (hey, sometimes this actually works for those of you
who have had bad luck with Voc Rehab).  Or try contacting your local Tech
Act provider.  Check on my website I think under
http://www.bv.net/~john/assadapt.html
for sites.
Can she use her right hand as a stabilizer?  You know holding things down?


>     Background on her hand - it was completely paralized with the use of
8
> years of e-stim assisted pt - it became functional and actually was doing
> well when the insurance ceased to cover it and my parents paid for while
but
> decided it was unnecessary - in past 9 months since she has stopped - she
is
> regressing. My parents are going to use the stim units and my mom will
> stretch her - while they have her for the summer.

That's the only problem with the estim units.  Didn't you get to keep the
unit after all that time?  They actually work best if you can incorporate
their use with a fun task to do.  What kind of e-stim?  Was it the
functional kind (FES) that is all the rage now?  It's generally worn at
night.  The e-stim I'm familar with I've done on a stroke patient and had
him grab things (gotta have that mind/ body connection)

>                                        Brightest Blessings
>                                               Trisha