Dr. Tony Herring and Don Cummings on Facebook LIVE discussing the hospital's prosthetics department.

Oct 05, 2017 / Research & Innovation

#SRHaccess Facebook LIVE Recap: Prosthetics Department

On this week’s Facebook live, Tony Herring, M.D. and Don Cummings, C.P., L.P. joined us to discuss the hospital’s prosthetic department. Below is recap of the conversation.

What are the different circumstances where a child might need a prosthesis?
  • If a child is severely hurt and must have an amputation: the SRH team makes a custom, full functioning prosthesis for the child to return to his or her daily activities.
  • Children born with missing limbs.
What is process when you come to SRH:
  • If a child is born with a certain condition and is needing a prosthesis, your doctor and the clinical team will see the patient around six weeks old to explain options.
  • We have a community of families whose children have prostheses and we introduce families to each other as a support group so they can ask questions and better understand the process.
  • Around the time a child begins to walk, the team will evaluate the patient’s limb to begin the creation of their custom prosthesis.
Who will be a part of your child’s treatment if he or she is needing a prosthesis?
  • Orthopedists
  • Prosthetists
  • Psychologist
  • Physical Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Child Life Specialists
  • Nurses
As a child grows, how often is the prosthesis needing to be refitted or changed?
  • About every 15 months the child is needing to have their prosthesis refit or remade.
  • The prosthesis is built to enable adjustments to allow them to grow into it.
  • Once or twice a year the child comes back to clinic to make sure it fits correctly.
How is a prosthetic made?
  • A mold is made based off the residual limb.
  • The child will start out in a test socket so our team of experts can evaluate the initial fitting.
  • Physical therapy is started to help train the child in using and functioning with the prosthesis.
  • Once the prosthesis fits correctly, it is finished off by the child choosing the color and design.
What is an activity specific prosthesis?
  • This is a prosthesis made specifically for a child when he or she is performing a certain activity, i.e. riding a bike.
  • This custom adapter helps the child do the activities they love.
Closing remarks from Dr. Tony Herring and Don Cummings:
  • Never say never.
  • We are learning from our patients and they continue to surprise us in all they can do with a prosthesis.
  • We want patients to realize that they don’t need to hide from their difference – our team is here to solve any problem that comes our way.
Watch this segment on Facebook and learn more about our Prosthetics department. 
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