Did brace work ??

[leokatmom]

This is my first post although I have been following this forum for some time.
My 14 yo daughter is not compliant with her brace now but she has been for 2 years .Shes getting maybe 10 hour a day (at night )She was diagnosed at 14 degrees ,the curve jumped to 32 within 1 year and she is on her 4th boston brace.Her T curve is slight now and L curve is less than 10 in brace. We go for an appt with xrays tomorrow. She is counting on being told night time only in brace .I believe otherwise since she just started her period this past summer ( bad PMS ). I read about so many curve progressions and so many kids with more serious curves and other problems .I would like to hear from anyone that the brace worked and some years later their curve is still steady.
I guess I need a little hope and fortitude before what I think will be a difficult day tomorrow. Thanks

[2kids]

Thanks for asking this question. I would also like to know if a traditional hard brace has actually helped anyone. Either curve remained the same or reduced.

[rtremb]

leokatmom - how did the appointment go?
Ruth

[tonibunny]

I wore a Milwaukee brace (and plaster bodycasts) throughout my childhood until the age of ten. I was first diagnosed with an infantile idiopathic double curve of 62/40 degrees at the age of 6 months so surgery was always on the cards from me right from the start, but my parents were very strict with me wearing the brace for 23 hours a day and it did hold my curve and prevent it from getting much worse, and this allowed me to get to the age of ten before having my spine fused.

I had a very stiff, very rotated, aggressive curve that couldn't be straightened much, so I am convinced that bracing can be enormously beneficial if one is compliant with it.

Years ago when I had my treatment (I'm 32 now), braces were only ever intended to hold curves rather than to correct them. These days, I know there are some kinds of braces that can help to correct curves - German bracemakers seem to have a good reputation for this. I know that it's really difficult for teenagers to wear braces though; I was OK wearing a Milwaukee as a child because I never really knew any different, but I can see how hard it must be for a newly-diagnosed teenager to suddenly have to wear one at a time when they feel especially vulnerable and body-conscious

According to my scoliosis specialists, bracing works for a lot of people and helps them to keep their curves small enough to avoid surgery. I guess that once most of those people have discarded their braces they will have got on with their lives without any problems, so they won't be frequenting forums like this.

Good luck to your daughter; I hope that the brace works for her!

[leokatmom]

Thanks for the replies. Her appt went well. Her curves have not changed in 6 months but I posted incorrect numbers . Her T is 11 and L is 17 not 10. This is good neews since she has grown an inch since last x ray. The whole team was in the exam room giving her a pep talk about brace wear to hopefully avoid surgery. She wants an exact time frame for wearing her brace but they will give no promises ...at least one more year. Her Dad went this time ( against her wishes) for moral supprot mainly for me. He says I mother her too much so I will try to back off some. I was awful to my Mom at this age. I guess its payback time.Next appt. in 6 months.

[leigh9p]

I'm so glad your apt. went well and that you had your own moral support. I so get what you mean. I feel like my dd is always mad at me these days and she hates the brace and wants to know when it will be done too. I also wonder just how many people can avoid surgery with it and we don't even know if she has an aggressive curve because her first measurement came after growing 3 inches in one year. She just got her period so they expect more growth. So it's do all this without even being sure you need it. That is hard to sell to a teen. Still, she is doing well and wearing the SpineCor almost 20 hours a day. Can't ask for more then that - except maybe a sweet, innocent girl back.

Leigh
DD is 14 years old, 27T, 17L - in SpineCor since Oct.