Recovery & Support for Congenital Hand Deformities

At Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, most children with hand deformities are treated surgically and grow up to lead healthy and active lives. Our doctors continue to meet with you and your child for years after treatment to ensure that the child’s hand is growing properly, and our specialists provide ongoing support. Our child and family support services and resilience programs are provided by Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care.

Follow-Up Exams

Our doctors recommend that your child have a physical examination of his or her hand every year until he or she reaches maturity, even if the deformity was corrected by surgery. These exams allow doctors to monitor your child’s hand while the bones and tendons are still growing. Additional surgery is often necessary.

Rehabilitation

Your child’s doctor may recommend occupational and physical therapy to help him or her recover after surgery. A child may also need splinting—devices used to immobilize bones—for the hand to work well.

Physical and occupational therapists at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation collaborate with orthopedic surgeons to help children with hand deformities maximize their potential.

Our physical therapists teach your child stretching and strengthening exercises to improve flexibility, build muscle, and increase hand function. Our occupational therapists help your child better perform everyday tasks, such as getting dressed, brushing teeth, and grasping objects.

The type of therapy and duration of treatment varies depending on the procedure your child has had.