TEN PERFECT fingers, ten tiny toes. It's one of the first things
many parents want to see with a newborn. Andrew—a beautiful
baby with bright blue eyes and a winning smile—had all those
things, except when it came to his left thumb.
e team in the delivery suite told parents Megan and
Anthony that the thumb was unusually small, a concern they
would want to keep in mind in the months ahead.
"When he was just a few months old, we thought Andrew
just had a small thumb on his left hand," Megan recalls. "But
after an examination with a specialist, we discovered that it was
associated with a bigger problem. e thumb wasn't able to
move correctly."
e thumb is crucial for the development of a
functional grasp, which includes opposition (pinching)
of the thumb to the tip of the other fingers. A functional
thumb is important for picking up objects, playing with
toys, and using developmentally appropriate tools such
as utensils, crayons, pencils and scissors. Children also
use a functional grasp to develop independence in daily
living skills such as dressing and grooming, and for many
activities—from coloring and building with blocks to
throwing a baseball. Without the use of a thumb, these
activities are challenging or impossible and may impact a
child's self-esteem.
Expertise in Rare Pediatric Hand Surgery
Earns Two Thumbs Up
Lee Phillips, M.D., watches
Andrew hold and release
a ball several months after
rebuilding his thumb.
14 Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital | HopkinsAllChildrens.org
Limb Restoration
