Children outgrow prosthetic limbs every 12-18 months at $5K-$50K each

Children with limb differences need their prosthetics replaced every 12-18 months due to growth, and the replacement cadence is even faster for children under 5 (annually) and infants (every 6 months). Each replacement costs $5,000-$50,000+ depending on complexity, and advanced myoelectric hands for children can exceed $70,000. Insurance policies frequently limit replacement frequency to once every 3-5 years, creating a direct collision between biological reality (children grow) and coverage policy (replacement caps). Parents face impossible choices: pay out of pocket, let children use painful ill-fitting devices, or go without. This matters because early prosthetic use is critical for neural development, bilateral coordination, and psychosocial integration -- delays during childhood have permanent developmental consequences. The problem persists because prosthetics are designed as static, adult-sized products. Growth-accommodating modular designs with telescoping components exist but are not widely available or covered by insurance. The pediatric amputee population is small, so manufacturers have weak economic incentives to invest in child-specific R&D.