Scoliosis

[Colleen A.]

Anyone have any experience with this? I had my 2 oldest kids at the doctor's today for their physicals and the doctor noticed a mild case in both of them! I have to take them in for ex-rays so the doctor can see the degree of the curve. She said at their ages, it can get out of hand if not checked.

 

[Jenzebelle]

I have a mild case of scoliosis. I was diagnosed when I was 9 or 10.
I didn't have to have a brace or anything- just had to do some exercises and every year for my physical, my Dr would check my spine and have me bend.

I was lazy and didn't do the exercises, but it pretty much corrected itself on its own. I do have horrible posture, but my dr blames it more on slouching from being self-conscious of my height and large breasts.

 

[Patio]

My DD, 13, has scoliosis. The school nurse noticed it at a screening she gave. I then took DD to her pediatrician, who recommended an orthopedic doctor. We made our 1st orthopedic visit in June 2001. Her degree of curve was 59%. She had visits with him every 3 months, so he could x-ray and track her curve, until he did a spinal fusion in June 2002. Her curve at the time of surgery was about 67% and she was 13 yrs, 1 mo. He said a brace or therapy couldn't help her, only surgery. The surgery lasted 5 1/2 - 6 hrs and she was hospitalized for 6 nights. She was fitted for a brace that she wore for 2 months. She still sees the doctor every 2 months and her recovery is coming along very well. What are the ages of your children? If you have any other ????'s, please ask or PM me. I'll be happy to try to help!!!

 

[dizneenut]

I have scoliosis. I got a back brace in 7th grade, and wore it for about 2 years.

 

[Patio]

I just noticed we'll be at WDW at the same time. Where are you staying? We'll be at AKL from Dec 8-13. I am also from PA, NE part.

 

[mivvers]

Hi Colleen,
I has scoliosis which was diagnosed when I was 14 -- at that time the curve was about 20 degrees, too late for a brace. They watched the progression, and when I was 16 (and the curve was 56 degrees) I had the surgery where a rod was put in my back. In my opinion, I am glad that I didn't have to have the brace. My 14-year-old cousin is in one now, and she's to wear it 23 hours a day for the next three or four years.

The surgery was painful, yes, but I only missed three weeks of school and have had no side effects, even through being pregnant and giving birth (naturally!) twice.

Hopefully, your kids will have a mild case. I do know that it is hereditary, so I worry about it developing in my own two as well, but it's good to catch it early before more serious problems develop.

Feel free to ask if you have any other questions.
Maureen

 

[mum4jenn]

My niece who was 17 at the time ended up having to have the surgery last summer.She was going to try out for cheerleading and during her physical it was discovered. She now has a steel rod in her back. My sister has it also but I do not know how bad it is. I have never had anyone tell me that I have it so I guess I am ok.

 

[Kermit]

I have scoliosis. My back isn't too terribly curved, but you can tell that I'm crooked when I wear a swimsuit. One hip is higher than the other.

The main thing I can suggest is that you insist that the doctor take care of it early. My mom had been suggesting to my doctor since I was little that he look at it, since you could see that it was curved and since it runs in our family, but he insisted that they never worry about it until you're 12. He looked at it when I was 12, and then he said that he wanted to monitor it and look at it 2 years later. Well, I was still just as crooked when I was 14, and I was also the same exact height. I had quit growing at 12, and apparently the brace doesn't work unless you're still growing. I'm not nearly curved enough to need the surgery, so I'm just going to be crooked for forever. It's not bad enough that it's moved the position of my internal organs or anything, but I do get a back ache easier than most people, and I can't carry anything heavy on one side. Being 7 months pregnant and carrying a baby around with me all the time isn't easy either.

 

[waughzee]

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 12 or 13. It is more common in girls. The orthopedic doctors started talking about braces and surgery when my parents decided to take me to the chiropractor without saying anything to the orthopedic doctors. The next time I went to the Orthopedic doctors, my curvature had decreased. The doctors couldn't explain it, then my parent's told them I had been seeing a chiropractor. They said to keep it up, and I never required surgery or a brace. I still see the Chiropractor every 3 months. Good luck!

 

[Boots]

I don't know much about it. But here are some {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for you!

 

[yoopermom]

Not exactly a great title to aspire to, I know! Mine was discovered at age 10, I was braced through high school, which held the curve but unfortunately did not correct it. Surgery will probably become an imperative down the road.

My most vital advice to you would be to see a scoliosis specialist, not just a general orthopaedic dr. Here's a partial list of PA drs who are members of the scoliosis research society:
PA, Danville W Fred Hess, MD CAND
PA, Erie James O Sanders, MD ACTI
PA, Hershey Daniel E Gelb, MD CAND
PA, Hershey Lee S Segal, MD ACTI
PA, Mechanicsburg C Scott Harrison, MD EMER
PA, Philadelphia Todd J Albert, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia M Darryl Antonacci, MD CAND
PA, Philadelphia Richard A Balderston, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia Randal R Betz, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia David H Clements, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia John P Dormans, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia Denis S Drummond, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia Malcolm L Ecker, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia John M Flynn, MD CAND
PA, Philadelphia G Dean MacEwen, MD EMER
PA, Philadelphia Peter D Pizzutillo, MD ACTI
PA, Philadelphia Peter V Scoles, MD EMER
PA, Philadelphia Alexander R Vaccaro, MD CAND
PA, Pittsburgh Vincent F X Deeney, CAND
PA, Pittsburgh William F Donaldson, MD EMER
PA, Pittsburgh William F Donaldson, MD ACTI
PA, Pittsburgh David R Kraus, MD ACTI
PA, Pittsburgh Stephen A Mendelson, MD CAND
PA, Pittsburgh Morey S Moreland, MD ACTI
PA, Pittsburgh Jory D Richman, MD ACTI
PA, Pittsburgh Charles S Stone, MD EMER
PA, Pittsburgh W Timothy Ward, MD ACTI
PA, Villanova Howard H Steel, MD EMER

There is a super (but high volume) mailing list at:
http://www.ai.mit.edu/extra/scoliosis//scoliosis.html

There is a ton of information (and mis-, unfortunately) out there on the web about this, but nothing beats getting the very best dr. that you can find to monitor your children's situation.

Good luck, and feel free to pm me if you have any further questions.
Terri the Yoopermom

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Yes a chiropractor can help a lot early on in a curve. Unfortunately,
our daughter who was diagnosed at age 5, was alot further along
by the time we discovered hers. She wore a brace for 3 years,
but by age 8 had to have the back surgery.(curvature 60 degrees).
And, of course it has limited her height be cause of it. She's only 4'8" now and is 13, and hasn't grown for a year. Good luck with your case.
Kim

 

[helenabear]

With most "mild" cases of scoliosis they won't do anything. I have it and it wasn't quite bad enough for a brace (and definitely not surgury). Mine was also discovered right at the end of my years of growing (I've grown a total of 2 inches since it was discovered) so they couldn't do much except monitor it and see if it got worse. Mine is more noticable only by looking at my shoulders and it became very evident when my wedding dress was being made & fitted for me. I do get backahces more easily now and I do know that chiropractors can really help decrease the curvature, so now that my insurance covers it, I will go see one on a regular basis. Good luck.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Whenever we had the scoliosis screenings in junior high and high school they would always call me back for a second check but they never did anything about it.

About 4 yrs ago when I first started kickboxing I was having serious balance issues (when they would make you balance on one leg in the round kick position for 10-15 minutes without falling) Needless to say I would fall every 15 seconds..lol Finally I went to my doctor for another issue where he just so happened to have to take an x-ray of my back and he told me that I had a mild case of scoliosis at the base of my spine.

Next time I was in class I told my instructor and he adjusted my stance slightly to compensate for the curvature and you couldn't knock me down if you tried

So the scoliosis hasn't really been trouble in my life other than compensating for it in kickboxing. But from what I hear the treatments for scoliosis are so much more advanced now than when I was a kid and people wore those braces for years. Might be a good idea to check out the options

 

[mamajoan]

Hi, Just a ? what does a chiropractor do for scoliosis?

All kids should be screened by their pediatrician for scoliosis @ every physical. There are different types of curvature basically a C curve and a S curve of the spine. When diagnosed early, consistent exercises and braces which are fitted correctly can help prevent further curvature. Surgical intervention becomes necessary when the curvature progresses as the child grows. I have seen many surgical interventions which have been done predominately when patients were in their mid - late teens. I have only seen successful rod placements. It does not seem to slow most kids down for too long. If your doc suggests that their curvature in minimal, please request a Rx for Physical Therapy so that your kids can learn the scoliosis exercise routine. It is fairly easy but as I stated before must be done consistently.
Good Luck,
Joan

 

[tc]

I was diagnosed with scoliosis in August, just before my 41st birthday. I had two S-curves. It was pretty severe. I have been going to a chiropracter 3 times a week since. He just did x-rays last week, and there is a marked improvement. I had never been to a chiropractor before, but I will swear by them now. They can manipulate the spine w/o being invasive or harsh. I know, sometimes, braces and surgery are your only option, but I would try chiropractic care first. You never know.