Center for Limb Differences

Care for all shapes and sizes.

Mary Free Bed’s Center for Limb Differences specializes in helping young patients with hand, foot and limb differences. When it was established in 1946, the center was the nation’s first to focus exclusively on helping infants, children and teenagers with limb discrepancies live healthy and fulfilling lives. 

We help patients who were born with a limb difference or who underwent an amputation due to disease or an accident. Our team’s primary goal is to help your child to become as independent as possible in all areas of development. 

What to expect 

Treatment plans are crafted to meet the unique needs of each patient. Patients generally visit the center two to three times a year.  

Your child’s schedule depends on circumstances unique to him or her. We’ll assess your child at each visit for orthopedic condition, growth and developmental needs. 

Your team 

The Center for Limb Differences is a founding and ongoing member of the Association of Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics. As a patient, your child will be under the care of a comprehensive multidisciplinary team specializing in helping children with orthopedic conditions. 

Team leadership is provided by physicians who specialize in orthopedics and treating children with limb differences. Depending on your child’s needs, his or her treatment team also may include: 

• Orthopedic surgeon 
• Pediatric nurse 
• Care manager 
• Physical therapist 
• Occupational therapist 
• Certified prosthetist 
• Certified orthotist 
• Registered dietitian 
• Other team members, such as a pediatrician and psychologist