Characteristics of AMC

Some of the things that are common to most AMC'ers

Arthrogryposis means 'curved joints'. Children with this condition are born with stiff joints and weak muscles. The strange position of arms and/or legs may give a child the look of a wooden puppet.

In some children, both arms and legs may be severely affected. In others, only the legs or feet, or hands or arms may be affected.

A child born with clubbed feet and with one or both arms stiff with hands turned out, may have arthrogryposis.

These are some of the things that are common to AMC'ers that Sean has:

Dimpling: Usually found where there are contractions (limited range of motion of a joint)

Sean has dimpling on both his knees, smaller ones on his elbows and shoulders

Extension and Pronation Deformity at the elbows:

Sean cannot fully extend both arms, which means he has trouble doing basic things such as , feeding himself, brushing his hair, picking things up etc. He receives occupational therapy to help him learn how to do these things.

He has had to adapt, but the hope is to eventually have him be self sufficient.

Hemangiomas: Hemangiomas are the most common benign tumor in infants. Between 4% and 10% of Caucasian infants have at least one hemangioma. They will usually dissapear by age 3. Most infants born with arthrogryposis have at least one "angel kiss" on their face. Some can be fairly large. Sean had a huge one that covered his whole nose, it burst while he was getting a bath, and has never come back. He also has one over his upper lip, on his eyelids and in between his two eyes.

Sean at 1month