My Nephew

He's 9, non-verbal and his right arm is of little use to him. Cognitively he's right there and he loves to fish. Here's the deal:
I took him out yesterday. He's tucking the rod into his arm pit and reeling with his good hand, but the hookset isn't happening. So, here's the deal: I'm building/wrapping him a rod and looking for any advice for some sort of design that would attach the rod to his bad hand. I'm thinking of something velcro. Have any of you guys seen something that might work?
Thanks.

I think a custom harness like the one they wear in big game fishing should work.

I don't know of anything off the shelf but I'll try to see if any medico types might know of a device for that.  The very first thing that popped into my head was a kid's soccer shin guard for the curvature and then attach a tube (maybe pvc) to it.  Velcro could lock in the arm and rod.  If you wanted to get fancy and can work it with him, maybe cast one out of fiberglass using his arm, hand and rod or make a plaster of paris mold of same to build up something.  In fact I bet it wouldn't be too hard to build him a real cast, cut if off and build the attachment. 

Notme, yea, I like that; I'm on my way to a thrift store now to get that design started. I'm not the smartest dude, so it's gonna take a few attempts and I gotta keep it cheap,,,still need a cast for my stupid arm...lol

I can't remember the name of the guy or his product, but on coastside there was a guy making devices for people who suffered from a stroke.

Now I'm sort of thinking something loosely based on the "L thingy" police batons for a frame, possibly integrating a rodholder for positional adjustment and maybe a spring mounted hookset trigger.  It would be helpful to know more specifically the limitations of the limb.  I custom fit ski boots to severely injured and deformed feet for a year; you'd be amazed what you can do with basic materials and simple tools.

Well, he seizured at 8 months, leaving his right side, hand and foot, sorta clawed: Fingers and toes sorta locked into a semi fist. The hand/fingers just don't obey him. He tries so hard.
Funny thing is that my youngest bro, his dad, just hates fishing, hates the outdoors in general, but his little boy, oh man, he just loves it. Little dude got my genes. He'd fish through an entire night with me. Yesterday, he just didn't want to leave. He kept signing that there'd be one more fish to catch. He'd got the sickness....
I'm not sure what the "L" thing is or how it works, but if ya think it's a quality way, I'll go after it. Thing is: His little right arm is really weak and I'm afraid of doing some damage to it by strapping stuff onto it. Between the two of us, we'd be fishing, I wouldn't be thinking about it; he'd never complain until it was too late because he'd be worried that we'd stop fishing. See? He's got the bug. Anyway, I'm trying to keep it as light and natural as I can, but it's all way new to me, not my cup of tea, so I'll take any help I can get.

I can't remember the name of the guy or his product, but on coastside there was a guy making devices for people who suffered from a stroke.

Bill Shelton...strike fighter I believe.


Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

I think a minor modification to this harness should work...

http://cgi.ebay.com/OFFSHORE-STAND-UP-FIGHTING-BELT-SHOULDER-BACK-HARNESS-/330559554500?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf6e283c4

If he reels fine and setting the hook is the only problem just use circle and light wire hooks where no hook set is necessary or you could make him a belt with a small piece of PVC to hold the rod if not http://www.achievableconcepts.us/usa_fish.htm

"hand and foot clawed"  sounds to me like his elbow joint functions but may be weak and the shoulder functions but same may apply? The wrist is more limited, maybe locked???  Fingers can collectively grip?  If he requires the harness and just needs a way to assist a rod holder, that's one thing.  If he can manage the rod but only needs a way to grip it and strike that's another.  Having motivation and opportunity, will he get to jigging?  Either way it's not that hard to address.  I see these parameters: lightweight, corrosion proof materials or easily and cheaply replaceable when not, safe- he can dump it at will.  I suppose it should either float or have some kind of leash attachment.   As he gets bigger, the mechanism, should there be one, should be transferable to a bigger mounting system to accommodate his larger arm.  I guess it boils down to the specifics, exactly what has to be addressed to allow to him to do precisely what?  I see one interface and one basic motion in a single plane; it isn't that much.

http://www.sheltonproducts.com/handicap.html

it works one handed

I would agree with Sailfish, a harness and a fighting belt should work. I have a few kids size harnesses in stock for my on-line store, let me know what his waist size is, and your mailing address, and we will send you one free of charge. This is just a harness with the straps to connect to a reel. I don't have any fighting belt in stock but I do have a clip on one I will also send you. Let see if it works.
Codzilla



 
www.codzillaoffshoretackle.com

Thanks all I don't know what to say.

Here's where it stands: I finished the rod yesterday; it's a super slow action trout rod, old school glass because like mickfish suggested, I'm gonna be usin circles as much as possible, so he doesn't have to swing for a fence. The rod will load nice and easy.

As it stands, "The brace" is a two piece structure: The top piece is a foam karate forearm piece with velcro straps. It's made of the same stuff I'd hang boat keys on. The bottom piece is a very small soccer shin guard. It lashes to the top foam piece and provides some rigidity; I hope.
I tried to customize the cork butt section of the handle by sanding it down to the contours of his arm, but that didn't work too well, so I found some medical black foam stuff that would be used inside a splint. I've got that glued onto the butt section so the that it contacts his arm.
So, the butt section is slipped, tight, into the contraption. It's suppose to work as an extention of his arm. We'll see.

This system might work for small bass, trout, bluegill and such, but for the bigger fish, I'm gonna need a harness system, like you guys are saying. codzilla, dude, you're too cool I'm not sure what his little waist is; it's heck of small though; he's tiny.

Notme....Yup,,,,yup,,,yup. You got it!
His right shoulder is good to go, but weak from lack of use; the wrist and fingers just don't really obey him. They move, but really slowly and without a lot of strength. He stares at 'em and they slowly start to move, but the range of motion is probably around 30% and the movement is really slow and it takes all of his concentration, so while he's doing "that" nothing else is working.
Yea, I'm pretty sure, given the chances, he'll be doing the fishing I do; he's got the fishing bug, so he'll be jigging and tossing hardware. It's the "gripping" that's the largest issue, as of today.
The single plane idea is what I went with, but it's 2 people dependent as a system when it's not attached. And, I think the harness system would be the same, although it would work for larger fish when bait fishing for stripers or small sharks, which he loves. So, I'm trying to figure out a way to make him as 'independent' as possible. He used to like everyone helping him; now he wants to do as much as possible without anyone's help, which is really important.

I'm going to try and post a picture of his hand so that it's really clear.

Once again,,,Thank you guys; all of the help is so much appreciated.

Very interesting thread all.
Slowriprun, you are earning major karma points on this idea.
I just spent the day fishing with one of my friends who lost his leg in an accident several years ago. Seeing him "on his way" with hydrotherapy and a very fancy prosthesis, struggling across a pitching boat deck but making it (when some guys with 2 legs were not) made it clear that you have to "decide to do what you love, and then you find a way to do it". You nephew clearly has the drive inside him, the rest is just working out the details.