"I've Never Felt There Was Anything I Couldn't Do"
(Part 2 of a 3 part series)

Part 1 told the story of 11-year-old Sergio Garcia, who lost part of both legs in a train accident. At Shriners Hospital in Houston, an average of 400 patient visits per year take place due to limb deficiencies, which can be congenital or acquired.

Ashley Turner, a former Shriners Hospital poster child,
is now a sophomore at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

While Sergio lost his leg and foot to a traumatic accident, other children never know what it is like to have arms or legs. Absence of limbs at birth for no apparent reason is not an uncommon occurrence. Many factors are thought to be involved, but what these factors are is not clear. We do know that limbs develop between the fourth and seventh week of pregnancy, often before the mother knows she's pregnant. A few drugs are known to cause limb differences if taken in early pregnancy, including thalidomide, methotrexate, and phenytoin. Other suggested causes have been lack of oxygen to the developing fetus at an early stage, chorion villus sampling (CVS) at an early stage, radiation, hormones, and some viral infections. But medical experts agree that most limb differences are not caused by what the mother did or did not do during pregnancy. In addition, most occur at random and are not inherited. Take, for example, Ashley Turner, who was born missing three limbs - her left leg at the hip, her right leg above the knee, and her left arm at the elbow.

Since the age of 1, Ashley, now a 20-year-old college student, has been coming to Shriners Hospital to be fitted for and trained in the use of artificial limbs. Currently, she wears two artificial legs and a myoelectric arm, an amazingly lifelike arm with a hand that is powered by electricity.

"I got my 'electric arm' in the eighth grade, and now it feels like a part of me. I don't even have to think about making it function anymore, it just happens," says Ashley, who uses her arm for many functions, including brushing her teeth and hair, cooking, driving, and picking up small items.

While some amputees discontinue using artificial limbs because they can function equally as well or even better by using remaining limbs or other body parts, Ashley has become somewhat of a "master" in the use of her prostheses.

One reason for this is that she was fitted very young, explains Dr. Richard Haynes, Shriners Hospital's chief of staff.

"Lower-limb child amputees should be fitted with prostheses as soon as they show signs of wanting to stand, usually just before or after 1 year of age, while children with arm amputations should be provided with artificial arms soon after they are able to sit alone, which is generally at about 6 months of age," Dr. Haynes explains.

Children, especially when fitted at an early age, almost always adapt readily to prostheses, Dr. Haynes says, and as they grow, the artificial limbs seem to become a part of them in a manner seldom seen in adults.

Ashley, a former Shriners Hospital poster child, is now a sophomore at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, majoring in music. Gifted with a beautiful voice, she is the winner of numerous vocal competitions.

"I've never felt there was anything I couldn't do, if I tried," she says. Ashley is a former cheerleader and Clear Lake High School swim team coach. She loves children, and looks forward to someday marrying and becoming a "mom."

Her advice to children with limb deficiencies is simple and honest.

"Just be yourself, and try not to give your disability too much thought. If you don't notice anything is missing, neither will anyone else."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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