Hand and Upper Extremity Care

If your child has experienced an injury, or was born with a condition that affects their upper extremities, we can help. We work with children (starting in infancy) and teens, treating hands, wrists, elbows, arms and shoulders every day.

That deep experience allows our hand and upper extremity specialists to provide the most complete care for your child. Our team has the expertise required to treat still-growing bodies. We offer the most advanced treatment options, helping those with hand or limb differences to live their best lives.

Our pediatric hand and upper extremity care

Many conditions affecting the upper extremities are present at birth and require management throughout childhood. Older children, though, may develop a hand or upper extremity condition from injury or illness.

Whether treating a newborn or a teenager, we provide the right care for every stage of development. We look at all aspects of the condition to help restore function and movement for hand and upper limb differences or injuries. Our services include:

Ongoing treatment for children born with hand or upper limb differences
Physical therapy, hand therapy and occupational therapy to improve movement and function, with focused care from specially trained pediatric hand therapists
Splinting or bracing to provide support and stability
Surgery to address limb-length discrepancies and other differences
Partnering with our sports medicine specialists to treat athletic injuries to the hand, wrist, arm, elbow or shoulder

Hand and upper extremity conditions we treat

Our pediatric hand specialists and upper extremity experts understand the challenges of treating children's growing bones. We care for all types of upper extremity conditions, including:

Arthrogryposis
Brachial plexus disorders
Conditions related to cerebral palsy
Fractures, sprains and other injuries
Trigger thumb
Hand and finger differences such as polydactyly, syndactyly and clinodactyly

Get to know our hand and upper extremity team

Our pediatric hand and upper extremity specialists are experts at treating conditions that affect children and teens. We understand that growing bodies have unique needs and use the most advanced methods to customize treatment.

Pamela Sherman, MD

Orthopedics

4.8 out of 5

146 Ratings

Accepting new patients

682-885-4405

Lauren Ball

Lauren Ball grew up in Bloomsburg, Penn. and moved to the Fort Worth area in spring 2022. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, from the Pennsylvania College of Technology in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Master in Medical Science from Saint Francis University in 2022. She has been working as a physician assistant in orthopedics for nearly two years.

Lauren joined the hand team at Cook Children’s Orthopedics in February 2024 to work alongside Dr. Sherman and Aaron Perkins, PA-C. She assists with surgeries in the OR, as well as sees patients both in the outpatient and inpatient settings.

Lauren found her calling in orthopedics after growing up with an orthopedic surgeon father and being a Division I student-athlete on the University of Maryland Women’s Track and Field team, specializing in the heptathlon. Outside of work, Lauren remains very family-oriented, frequently catching up with her two sisters, nieces and nephews, as well as her younger twin brothers; she also enjoys working out, reading, watching sports, trying new foods (especially desserts) and skiing in the winter.

Aaron Perkins

Aaron Perkins grew up just outside of Waco in Robinson, Texas. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and graduated with her Masters of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She has worked as a physician assistant in Orthopedics for 6 years.

Aaron joined Cook Children's Orthopedics in 2023 and works with Dr. Sherman and the hand team, seeing patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as assisting in the OR.

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys spending her free time with her husband and daughter. You can usually find them outside with their two dogs enjoying everything outdoors - running, exercise, hiking, fishing and sports.

Hand and Upper Extremity Care

Our pediatric hand and upper extremity care

Hand and upper extremity conditions we treat

Get to know our hand and upper extremity team

Pamela Sherman, MD

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