Recent advances in research in prosthetics for children.

New prosthetic components are being designed and developed specifically to meet needs of children. Some are primarily new power systems for operating components which are already in general use, and some are entirely new components such as those developed at the Child Amputee Prosthetics Project at UCLA. These include the CAPP Terminal Device, the CAPP Multi-Position Post, CAPP Wrist Units, the CAPP Modular Elbow, the CAPP Two-Way Shoulder Joint, the CAPP Frame Shoulder Socket, and the CAPP Prosthetic Foot for Above-Knee Amputees. At present, there is great interest in externally powered components, and these are being developed at many centers around the world. A new electric elbow, is the Motor-Lock Elbow, was developed at New York University; a Swedish Electric Hand extends the application of the Otto Bock Myoelectric System to the very young child; the 3-state myoelectric system developed in New Brunswick, Canada, allows the amputee to control 2 functions from a single muscle site, and the INAIL System from Italy is based on a procedure for evaluation and fitting with externally powered along with body powered components. The pneumatically powered Simpson Arm and Kenworthy Hand from Scotland are based on the concept of extended physiologic proprioception. All of the components selected for this review are now being developed or tested so that clinical application can be anticipated.