Congenital Hand Disorders

Having extra fingers and having joined fingers are common congenital hand disorders.

When a baby is born with a hand that isn’t typical, doctors call the condition a congenital hand disorder or congenital hand difference. “Congenital” means “present at birth.”

For some reason, the baby’s hand didn’t form the usual way while they were in the womb. Their hand may look only a little different than usual, and it may work normally or nearly normally. Or it may be quite different from a usual hand, with extra or missing fingers or other differences. In order to use the hand well, the child may need surgery, occupational therapy, a prosthetic device or other treatments.

Congenital hand disorders in children

Two of the most common congenital hand disorders are polydactyly (extra fingers) and syndactyly (joined fingers). Most children with these conditions have no other health problems.

Some hand differences are part of a more complex condition:

• Symbrachydactyly may also affect the forearm.
• Arthrogryposis and amniotic band syndrome are conditions that may affect a baby’s hands and arms along with other parts of their body.

Parents often wonder why their baby’s hand isn't typical. Most often healthcare providers cannot tell what caused a congenital hand disorder. These hand differences are rarely caused by something the mother did or didn’t do while she was pregnant.

The Seattle Children’s Hand and Upper Extremity Program treats children with congenital hand disorders. Each year we see many babies with these conditions in our clinics. Our doctors, surgeons, occupational therapists, nurses and many other healthcare providers work as a team. We create a treatment plan tailored to your child. Our goal is to get the best results possible.

For many of our patients, treatment means surgery – sometimes highly complex surgery, such as microvascular surgery . We have a lot of experience doing these surgeries in children.

As we learn what your child and family need, we connect you with other team members, such as social workers and nutritionists. When needed, our Rehabilitation Program provides occupational therapy to help children with congenital hand disorders gain the best use of their hands.

• Treating the whole child

  We see your child as a whole person. Infants, children and teens are still developing, so they may need different care than adults do, like treatment that takes their growth plates into account. Here, your child’s team has special training in the medical, surgical, emotional and social needs of young people.

  Complex conditions that affect your child’s bones, muscles and joints may affect other parts of their body too, from their nerves or lungs to their bladder. We connect you with the many types of Seattle Children’s experts your child needs – on the same day, in the same clinic whenever we can.

• The compassionate experts you need are here

  Our Hand and Upper Extremity Program is part of the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Program.

  Your child will be cared for by an experienced team that may include:

  • Pediatricians
  • Pediatric orthopedic surgeons
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Physician assistants
  • Nurses
  • Athletic trainers
  • Certified medical assistants
  • Registered orthopedic technologists
  • Sports physical therapists

  We have the largest group of board-certified pediatric radiologists in the Northwest. Our radiologists have special expertise using ultrasound to look for bone and joint changes so we can work with your child to help prevent future problems. If your child needs imaging that uses radiation, we use the lowest amount possible to produce the best image. We also have a 3D low-dose radiation X-ray machine, called the EOS, for safer full-body 3D images.