Resilient Foundation, Versatile Skills Symposium

The Active Movement Scale (AMS) is widely considered the gold standard for evaluating active movement in babies with brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI); however, there are some real-world challenges therapists face when using it.  

This presentation will examine the strengths and benefits of the AMS in clinical settings, explore the discrepancies in AMS scoring between therapists, and discuss the implications of these findings on clinical outcomes (and surgical planning). By discussing both the benefits and drawbacks of the AMS, along with the findings from our interrater reliability study, we hope to foster a critical dialogue that can lead to improved practices, consistency, and ultimately better patient care.

The presentation aims to foster an open dialogue about the challenges of maintaining consistency in AMS assessments and discuss potential solutions.

Congenital hand conditions are commonly seen by hand surgeons and therapists. We will review some common diagnoses and discuss the roles of surgeon and hand therapist for each. Photographs and case examples will be used to highlight surgical techniques, types of orthoses, therapeutic activities, and modifications for activities of daily living.

Are you interested in learning more about pediatric hand burns? Have you been treating pediatric hand burns, but want to know more about treatment options? Alternatively, do you specialize in pediatric hand burns and want to discuss a complex case and treatment options? No matter your level of experience, this session is for you! We will review three different cases of varying complexity, discussing evaluation, plan of care, surgical interventions, and post-op care.