Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!wtm
From: thurlow@convex.com (Robert Thurlow)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Born without Arms
Message-ID: <17298@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 31 Jan 91 14:09:45 GMT
References: <17279@bunker.UUCP>
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: thurlow@convex.com (Robert Thurlow)
Distribution: misc
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx.
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Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 13284

In <17279@bunker.UUCP> X005RH@TAMVM1.BITNET (Rick Huff) writes:

>My wife and I are adopting an infant that was born without arms.  He
>is now 5 months old and is perfectly healthy.  We already have a
>4 year old and another baby on the way that should provide a stimulating
>home for him.  We are looking forward to raising him as a part of our
>family.

There's a tape you need from the North Texas Amputee Support Group
that should help a lot; it's about a terrific young woman born without
arms, and has quite a bit of discussion and demonstration of how she
coped with things.  Stacey Conner, before her untimely death, was
doing a lot to help young people with similar disabilities, though
she never seemed to feel particularly disabled.  To get the tape,
contact:

		Bill Baughn
		North Texas Amputee Support Group
		5427 Redfield
		Dallas, TX  75235
		(214) 631-7438

[Note from Bill McGarry: Bill Baughn also reads the Fidonet
 conference, ABLED, which is gatwayed with this newsgroup.]

>Are there any people out there that have experience with this disability
>that could give us some insight into what challenges he will be facing
>in the future?  What is your experience or knowledge about rehabilitative
>therapy?  Prosthetics?  Thanks for any information that you can provide.

To generalize outrageously, you need to support him and stay out of
his way!  :-)  He'll probably figure out lots of ways to get around
the inconvenience all by himself just by trying, though smart and
observant parents can certainly get good ideas and contribute a lot
of support.  The main thing is that he'll grow up not knowing what
having arms is like; "rehabilitation" will have very little practical
applicability.  Prosthetics are normally rejected by almost all such
children, and for good reasons in general; it's like you strapping an
extra arm onto your back.  Bill can bend your ear more on this based
on more relevant personal experience, so I'll shut up now.  All the
best; it's always great to see people do good things!

Rob T
--
Rob Thurlow, thurlow@convex.com
An employee and not a spokesman for Convex Computer Corp., Dallas, TX