How is Erb’s palsy treated?

How is Erb’s palsy treated?

Treatment of Erb’s palsy depends partly on how severe the injury is. Some cases resolve by themselves within three to four months. But, most likely, your healthcare provider will suggest that you do exercises and physical therapy with your baby from about the age of three weeks.

The range-of-motion and stretching exercises will help prevent stiffness in your baby's arm, hand and wrist. You’ll want to avoid a joint contracture (permanent joint stiffness). Follow your provider’s instructions about how many times to do the movements each day.

Hydrotherapy combines exercise with water. The water provides support that makes exercise less painful.

Your provider might inject botulinum toxin (Botox®) to paralyze working muscles for a time to force weaker muscles to take over. They might also splint your baby’s hand to prevent it from curling inward and being rigid.

If the palsy hasn’t improved before your baby is 6 months old, your provider might recommend surgery, including:

• Nerve repair. These surgeries include nerve grafts, nerve transfers, neurolysis and nerve decompression.
• Muscle repair. This involves a muscle or tendon transfer to replace the damaged tissue with tissue from another place in the body.

It’s important to realize that any type of nerve repair and regrowth happens slowly — the results aren’t immediate.