I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with their children and scoliosis.

We were just referred to an Orthopedic Dr. for our youngest because of her scoliosis and I'm freaking out.

I know I'm probably making more out of it than what I need to....but our Pediatrician mentioned that surgery MIGHT be an option. That's what freaked me out.

Any insight would be helpful.

MP,

Please don't get talked into surgery before you explore other options. There are therapies out there that can help. I have seen it even with children with severe curvature. My DS has a brain injury and with his disabilites come hip and spine problems. He had a 30% curve that is now gone. You can write me off-line if you like

killnme2004-mb@yahoo.com

Surgery is NOT a good option IMO. It would have to be very far along if surgery were the only solution.

I have scoliosis and was diagnosed at 14yrs. with an 8 degree curve. Unfortunately I went to a quack who told my mother that I would "grow out of it". <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

FF to 17years old 27 degree curve headaches, numb fingertips, and more pain all the time. I went to a chiropractor for 2years 3 times a week. Did traction (very painful) and got adjusted continually. We got my curve back to 9 degrees by forcing it, but it wasn't easy. I quit going and my curve came back up to 13 degrees. Worked it back down to 11 degrees and decided that I needed to find a different Dr.. He seemed to be hurting me more than helping me at that point. I went in feeling fine and left in excruciating pain on several occasions.

I found a Dr. that does the Logan technique. A short explanation.....Align the Atlas and the Sacrum and all will follow on it's own. There is only one chiropractic school that teaches this method and it's in MO. I went from several appointments a month to once every 6 months!

With all of that said I would recommend that you:

#1 Be very very cautious of trusting any Dr. that wants to do surgery or ignore the problem.

#2 Get you child in to see a chiropractor. He/she will not need to see one nearly so much as I did because you are catching this very early. Good Job!!!

#3 Listen to how your child feels physically (headaches, any numbness, strange movements like they are uncomfortable). Many of these things can be dismissed as rooting from something else.

My situation would have been ENTIRELY different if we had not listened to and trusted that Quack. I am still in a lot of pain today. And I am very limited IMO to doing as much physically as I want to. Hope this helps. And if you need me just call me out on a subject. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

Have a great weekend!

C.

Miss Priss,

Do you live in a major metropolitan area? If so, there should be the availability of a Children's specialty hospital with all pediatric subspecialties represented. If not ask your FP about a referral to a pediatric orthopedist or neurosureon. There are many different treatment plans available depending on the severity of the deformity and any good doc will give you all the options available. Get a second or even a third opinion if you are not happy with what you hear.

Best of luck to you and your daugter.

Several of my children have scoliosis. My daughter Bethany, who is now 16 had it particularly severely.Her cousin was also diagnosed around the same time. Her cousin went down the traditional route of being treated by wearing a plastic corset, which she had to be screwed into, initially 24 hours a day, for about 4 years. Bethany was treated by our chiropractor. She had a few initial visits and then went once every 3 to 6 months. She also wore a lift in her shoes to help kep the alignment in her back correct after the chiropractor had straightened it. Her cousin is now 17 and her back is correctly aligned. Bethany also has a perfectly aligned back, but she got it with much less discomfort than her cousin and without the worry and expense of having plastic corsets fitted and the specialist visits needed for this.

I would advise you to seek alternative therapies before going down the traditional routes of surgery and/or corsets.

Incidently, my son Sam had more severe scoliosis than Bethany. After a few initial visits to teh chiropractor he simply didnt go anymore. He is now 17 and his back is also now well aligned.

I have scoliosis, so does my sister, my mother and my niece.

My curve never needed correction. But I suffer from the occasional bouts of a slipped disc as an adult due to my condition. A sports doctor gave me a move to do that slips my disc back in place. Works everytime.

My sister did have to wear one of those god awful Milwaukee braces for two years. No one wears those contraptions anymore.

Now my niece who just turned 16 did have to wear a brace for a year. A new modern one. Her curve was very bad and the doctors were 99% sure she would need surgery. But low and behold on the last visit before the surgery the x-rays showed she had stopped growing. Not only did she not need the surgery but she was able to remove the brace. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

I highly recommend the Shriner`s hopitals. They treated all of us and they were terrific.

Thank you all for posting.

I'm feeling a bit better with this whole situation....a bit.

I'm not sure if we have a Shriners Hospital around here.

I live in Southern Indiana.......right in between Indianapolis and Louisvill.

The Pediatrician has referred my daughter to an Orthopedic Surgeon at Methodist Hospital in Indy.

I KNOW they have some excellent Dr's there because about 10 years ago my H had an accident where he works that almost completely diconnected his foot from his leg. The only thing that was attaching it was a 2 inch piece of skin. They had to reconstruct his bones and attach ALOT of metal to attach the foot to the leg...and then he had to have a muscle taken out of his back and placed on his ankle (it was called a muscle flap I believe) and the Plastic Surgeons had to take skin from his hip to replace what he lost. They did an excellent job.
In the beginning they told him that he would ALWAYS have to wear an Ace Bandage on his foot to keep the swelling down...but he no longer has to. They also told him at first that he would probably never be able to run well...and would have a permanent limp.....he runs just fine and doesn't limp at all...despite not being able to flex that foot.

The only draw back has been that my H is VERY muscular...he has or had Popeye legs. Now because of his accident one of his legs is more muscular than the other.....quite noticable....but he functions just as well as he did before his accident.

I can still remember the name of the Orthopedic Surgeon as he had an excellent bed side manner. He no longer is affiliated with them though.

I'm not sure how well they deal with children though....I'm sure quite well.

BUT....in the other direction....in Louisville there is a Childrens Hospital (Riley). We can go either way as it's the same distance to either place.

I just want to make sure that my daughter gets the best treatment that is available. I'm just not sure how to research for it in my area.

Thanks to all that have responded.