A child who is born
with a toe that sticks
out may need surgery in
order to wear shoes. The
toe can sometimes
be put straight. At
other times it may be
simpler to remove it.
BIRTH DEFECTS
To get the best
results, the
surgery should be
done by a specially
trained orthopedic
or plastic surgeon.
121
INCOMPLETE OR MISSING ARMS OR LEGS
Sometimes medicines a mother takes early in pregnancy cause
a child to be born with missing or incomplete arms or legs, or
both.
A child born without arms but with normal legs and feet can
often learn to use his feet almost as if they were hands: for
eating, writing, drawing, playing games, and doing many kinds of
work.
It is important to encourage the child to use her feet, or
whatever part of her body possible, to do everything she can for
herself.
The child who is born with incomplete arms and legs
can be helped a lot by artificial arms with hooks for
grasping (see p. 230).
We do not give instructions for making these arms
in this book, as they are fairly complicated. However,
try every possibility to get artificial arms for the child.
They can make a very big difference in her life. If
possible, the child should get her first limbs by age 3.
For ideas about aids and artificial limbs for children born with missing or defective
hands and feet, see Chapter 27, “Amputations,” and Chapter 67, “Artificial Legs.”
Village
rehabilitation
workers made her
a plastic brace
with a partial foot
built into it, so
she could wear
a regular shoe or
sandal.
plastic
leg brace
lightweight
foam plastic
(inside)
This little girl was born with ‘rubber
band-like’ constrictions in her hand and
leg, and with parts of her fingers and
foot missing. The deformities happened
because her mother had German measles
when pregnant.
Her foot looked
like this.
A firm foam-plastic foot was shaped and
attached to a plaster mold of the foot (see
Chapter 58). The plastic brace was heat
molded over this.
disabled village children