Prosthetics

A prosthesis is an artificial extension that replaces a missing body part, such as an arm or a leg. Children who are born without certain body parts or who have lost them due to traumatic injury can benefit greatly – both physically and emotionally – from using these devices. Today’s prosthetics are so advanced, they can go a long way toward improving your child’s mobility, functionality, self-confidence, and overall health.

The Nemours Difference

The Prosthetics Program at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is one of the largest of its kind on the East Coast, and the Prosthetics Division at the Nemours Children’s Clinic, Jacksonville, serves hundreds of children each year.

Because children who need a prosthetic will often need coordinated care from other medical areas, you’ll have access to an entire team of Nemours specialists, including:

• Orthopedic surgeons
• Prosthetists (specialists who fit all types of prostheses)
• Orthotists (specialists who fabricate and fit braces and other supports)
• Occupational and physical therapists
• Behavioral health specialists

If your child requires a leg or foot prosthesis, the Gait and Motion Analysis Lab at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Delaware, which uses a computer to capture a 3-D model of a child’s walk, can help us to assess and evaluate its performance.

Services We Offer

We offer fittings by certified prosthetists ensure your child’s comfort and stability.

We provide thorough follow-up care, since children’s rapid growth often means their prostheses will need to be re-checked frequently.

At the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children’s Pediatric Engineering Research Lab (PERL), we work with biomedical engineers and students in the research of new devices that can assist and rehabilitate children with orthopedic disorders and limb loss.