On Friday I noticed that my 4 yr olds right thumb was bent and she cannot straighten it. I was tracing her hand in a card when I noticed it. When I asked her to straighten is she said matter of factly "I can't, it's just bent." It doesn't hurt and she doesn't seem bothered by it. I immediately started to freak out and was almost in tears. I called her doctor in the afternoon and was going to bring her in during night owl hours because they didn't hae any appointments available for Friday. I started searching on the internet and found lots of stories and questions and I think it might be trigger thumb. From other websites it looks like it's not an urgent matter but something that should be taken care of. She has an appointment on the 24th (so next week), do you think that's too far away? Should I take her in sooner? If it is trigger thumb, from what I've seen on the internet she may have to have surgery to repair it. Has anyone had any experience with this? I feel like we have been back and forth to the doctor with her lately and I just get worried sick. Just over a month ago we were in the ER with her for severe abdominal pain and high WBC which turned out to be her bowels backed up. She seems to have a lot of aches and pains and I usually attribute it to "growing pains." She seems to be growing well and is the tallest in her class. Could the issue with her thumb be a sign of something more? Her appt next week is to recheck her abdominal issue with an xray so I figured I'd ask the doctor about her thumb as well.
We went to the doctor on the 24th. She looked at her thumb and right away said trigger thumb. She is going to have surgery this summer. She has her dance recital in 2 weeks and I will be home for the summer in 3 weeks so we will schedule it for then. Thank you for reassuring me that it was okay to wait a week to go to the doctor!! The doctor said it was fine to wait to have the surgery and that it would probably take that long just to get the appointment. Thanks again!
My bil has a bent pinkie from too short of ligaments or something. Can't straighten it for nothing! Couldn't for as long as he can remember, and he's happy and alive in his late 20s. :)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trigger-finger/DS00155/D...
From the info from the Mayo Clinic, it sounds like she might come home from the doctor with exercises to do, or possibly a splint to wear to straighten the thumb. It certainly doesn't sound like any kind of emergency as long as it's not causing her any pain. I wouldn't take her in sooner, I'd just bring it up with your doctor at your scheduled appt.
You can totally calm down:) I like you, discovered my childs trigger thumb one day when I was tracing her hand. I addressed it with her ped at her next visit and he said it's actually quite common in varying degrees but isn't life threatening. He gave me a referral to an orthopedist who took one look at her and said, "yup, you my dear have a fancy thumb, it's called a trigger thumb". He then did a quick x-ray there in his office and determined it was definitely a classic trigger thumb. He told us that if it bothered her it's a very quick surgery, about 15 minutes, but if it didn't he said just leave her alone. I was also told that if later in life it bugs her, like in her teenage years, it's the exact same surgery so there isn't a timeline to repair it, if at all. She can go her entire life with the deformity if she really wanted to. BUT, I should mention, my daughter who is now 6 can pop it straight and her thumb pops right back into it's little bent position again. Again, I asked the orthopedist if she shouldn't do that, and he said, actually, in some cases, some kids have been able to stretch that little tendon enough by popping their thumb straight so if I see her doing it, I don't tell her to stop anymore. Hope that helps:)
All I know is this.
I had it.
My PCP diagnosed it and gave me contact information for a surgeon.
I tossed the information.
My thumb is fine now.
Good luck!
My boss had trigger thumb. ALl of a sudden it was just bent. It didn't hurt, but he couldn't straighten it out. He had surgery. He;s fine now, but they said it won't last forever. He may have to have the surgery again in 5 yrs or so.
No you don't have to take her in any sooner than next week. Its not something that needs to be taken care of asap. Yes usually surgery is the only way to fix it. They might try to do PT first depending on if there is any flexibility with it.
My mom is dealing with it right now. Today she is going in for her second shot of cortisone. They got her thumb straight and put a splint on it so it stays straight and it doesn't "lock" back up on her. If this shot doesn't work she is already scheduled for surgery on the 23rd.
If it doesn't seem to be bothering her and you already have an appointment, I would just wait for that. But I don't have personal experience with this. Good luck!
It might be arthritis or roomatoid related wait and see
You need to take a deep breath and try to relax :)! I know that she is your baby and you want everything to be OK, but it sounds like you are working yourself into a frenzy, which will be sensed by your daughter when you do take her in to see the doc. Your daughter doesn't seem bothered by it, so I think waiting until next week is fine. When you ask the doctor, show the thumb and ask if you should discuss it at the time or if you should schedule a second visit. He will let you know how pressing the matter is.
Don't do any more online research! You are scaring yourself silly!
I have had this and its not life threatening on an annoyance and can get painful when getting it to straighten. I had the surgery and it was real simple and outpatient (same day in?out). It can happen in any finger.They said I had it in other fingers but not as bad but it went away without doing what my thumb did. It can be caused by excessive use like wringing things out. She should be ok.
