The Association of Children’s Orthotics and Prosthetics (ACPOC) hosted their annual event earlier this month. Our in-house prosthetist Elise had the pleasure of attending also delivering a Hero Arm for a patient based in the area. The Mission of ACPOC is to provide a comprehensive resource of treatment options provided by professionals who serve children, adolescents, and young adults with various musculoskeletal differences.  

The rare thing about the ACPOC conference is that it involved a multi-disciplinary approach.  Most children’s prosthetic/orthotic conferences are oriented specifically towards orthotists and prosthetists and may have the occasional guest speaker from a different discipline.  This conference was made up of pediatric focused physicians as well as physical and occupational therapists.  When it comes to treating pediatrics within O&P, it is very important to have all members of the rehabilitation team on the same page. 

The ACPOC 2022 annual conference consisted of many amazing and informative lectures from experts within the field of O&P, OT, PT, orthopedics, and rehabilitation medicine. There was even a lecture about the Hero Arm – “Experience with the Hero Arm: Lessons Learned & Patient Perspectives” given by Liz Selgrade, MSPO, CPO from Shriners Children’s Hospital.  The presentation outlined the experience of multiple Shriners clinicians and over 25 patients’ experiences with the Hero Arm. We are overall incredibly happy with the feedback provided and the adoption results we are seeing with the Hero Arm.  Survey results showed patients valued that the Hero Arm is easy to learn to use, and they liked the aesthetics.  Wear times were varied as some use the arm for specific activities while others use it as an all day tool.  Most of the children surveyed reported that they would definitely want another Hero Arm when the time comes to go for an adult upgrade. 

The most common daily activities that the Hero Arm is used for by children include school activities like writing, carrying supplies, and holding papers, as well as chores like sweeping, laundry, and then of course drinking and eating.  Many patients also use their Hero Arm for extra curricular activities like biking, rowing, baseball, golf, skiing, and playing musical instruments. 

According to the American Board of Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABCOP), pediatric patients (18 and under) make up 37% of the orthotic patient population, and 11% of the prosthetic patient population. Of all the Hero Arm users in the United States, 30% of them are pediatrics.  When it comes to durable and lightweight myoelectric options for pediatrics, the options are very limited.  And though the Hero Arm was not designed specifically for children, what sets it apart from the other options is that it was designed with children in mind.  One thing that was heavily noted at the ACPOC conference was that there was a significant lack of pediatric specific prosthetic options. 

We loved speaking with industry professionals about the latest developments in children’s prosthetics and sharing what we have coming up with the Hero Arm. Since one of our patients was based in Florida where the conference was taking place, we decided to deliver and fit his Hero Arm at the conference.

During Samuel’s Hero Arm fitting, he had a surprise call from Tilly Lockey and the Alita Army fan base who helped him secure funds needed for a Hero Arm. Watch Samuel receive his Hero Arm at the ACPOC conference below.