Limb Preference in Children with Obstetric Brachial Plexus Palsy

Brachial plexus palsy affects children differently than adults. In children with obstetric brachial plexus palsy, motor development must depend on nervous system adaptation. Previous studies report sensory plasticity in these children. This noninvasive study provides support for neural plasticity (the general ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences) in children with obstetric brachial plexus palsy by considering upper limb preference. As in the general population, we expect that 90% of children would prefer their right upper limb. However, only 17% of children affected by right obstetric brachial plexus palsy prefer the right upper limb for overall movement; children with left obstetric brachial plexus palsy did not significantly differ from the general population in upper limb preference. This study also provides the first evidence of a significant correlation between actual task performance and select obstetric brachial plexus palsy outcome measurement systems, thereby justifying the routine use of these outcome measurement systems as a reflection of the practical utility of the affected limb to the patient.