This is in response to Brett Patton’s CAPP Prehensor questions and comes by
way of Mrs. Julie Shaperman OTR MA ([email protected])of Shriners
Hospital and the Rancho Rehab Engineering Program
Re the CAPP terminal device:
Several centers in the USA that care for children with amputations use the
CAPP so many children wear it and like it a lot. It is less mechanical /
menacing in appearance than a hook and offers better function than most
mechanical hands. If your son does lots of mechanical work and uses tools
a lot, he may do better with a hook. If he is mainly concerned about
appearance, he may want a hand. Hands that work with a cable and harness
are hard to open and don’t give very good grip. Electric hands look nice,
work well and give very good grip, but they are heavy and somewhat fragile
for an active young boy. The gloves stain and tear easily, and the
original purchase and repairs to the hand can be costly unless you have
good insurance that covers this or have good private sources of funds.
Perhaps he can decide what he kind of device he wants after he has used a
prosthesis for awhile. I don’t know which capp your son wears, but there
are two size!
s. The smaller size is commerci
ally available – it is about 3 inches long from the wrist to the end. The
larger size is for large teenagers and adults and is only available from
the Child Amputee Prosthetics Project (CAPP) at Shriners Hospital, 3160
Geneva Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020. They could send the larger capp to
your prosthetist who could install it on the prosthesis. Hope this is
helpful.
J. Shaperman.
At 09:48 PM 11/8/98 PST, you wrote:
>Last July, as the result of an auto accident, my 12 year old son became
>a below elbow amputee. He was recently fitted with a prosthesis. The
>”hand” which is on the prosthesis is called a capp. I have never seen
>this device before my son got it. I just naturally thought that his
>”hand” would be some kind of hook. How common is this capp, and do most
>children use it. Also, is the capp more versatile for a teenager than
>would be a hook or a electric hand?
>
>Will my son be able to use this capp when he grows in a few years or is
>this capp only an interim “hand”. My son’s prosthetist told me that the
>capp is quite common for children.
>
>Thanks for any responses.
>
>Brett A. Patton
>
>
