Sweden has led the world in the use of electronic limbs for children. As far back as 1971 the Regional Hospital in Orebo, Sweden has applied this technology to pre-school children. For over 20 years, advancements in electronic technology have increased and the impact on upper-limp prosthetics has soared.
A few centers in North America have taken up the task of applying electronic limbs to young children. The Michigan Institute for Electronic Limb Development in Detroit fitted a 12 month-old girl with a two-function arm in 1985. This young child inspired the industry to move forward in the quest for fitting the young child. She became one of the first children in America to wear this type of limb full time and used it actively.
Over 200 children between the ages of 12 months to 19 years old, have been fitted with myoelectric limbs at Detroit's Variety Club Myoelectric Center. About half of these children are under the age of four years old. One of the major concerns at the start of this program, were the cost of the arms and the perceived cost of repairs. It has proven that these fears were not well grounded. The myoelectric arms have proven so reliable that they are recycled by many centers and used over and over again. Only the cosmetic portion needs to be replaced, the actual electronics are reused.
Another concern was the loss of fit, however, a new technique called growth liners, was introduced in mid 1980. This allowed for the device to be refitted only on the socket end thus cutting the overall cost. Another concern was the weight, especially on very young children. This has been overcome by fitting the children at four to six months with a passive prosthesis. This has led to a rejection rate of less than tow percent.
An unfounded fear of large repair bills on these high tech prosthetic devices has been replaced with the willingness to provide the infant with a device that performs well. The major problem has been the outer covering that provides the protection to the electronics and a cosmetic appearance. These gloves, as they are called, need to be replaced two to three times a year.
Another aspect mentioned earlier is recycling of the prosthetic devices. The method used is called limb banking. The "bank" collects components and recycles them. Doing this can reduce the cost of the limbs and the cost of repairs. It also reduces the time needed to repair a broken limb, so the child does not have to be without the prosthetic device but a short time.
