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Well, we picked up my daughter's Charleston brace today. The people at Hanger Orthotics in Mountain View are so nice. Steve Baum in paticular. Very knowledgeble and did an excellent job putting us and our daughter at ease. Huge kudos to Steve and Miguel.
She was fairly uncomfortable during the fitting. I suppose it must not feel good to be so constricted. But she was really a trooper. It was hard for me to sit there and watch her wince.
I expect my daughter to be compliant. She totally understands why she needs to wear the brace and wants to do everything she can to help herself. I expect that it may be rocky for a few weeks, but hopefully she will get used to it and will be able to sleep OK. Mainly I hope the brace is able to do its job and hold her curve. Her risser is about 4, and she has another inch or two to grow. Steve said that based on his experience, a girl like her will probably need to wear the brace for 2 years.
Before the appointment, my daughter had mentioned that she didn't have any shorts that fit her anymore (and we're in the middle of a heat wave). So, after picking up the brace, I noticed that there was a Ross store across the street. We had quite a shopping spree. I totally indulged her (she needed the clothes anyway). Then we got some lunch. It was a nice mother-daugther day except for the discomfort of the brace fitting. I think all the new stuff I bought her really cheered her up.
The poor kid also just got braces on her teeth last week (she will need them for a year). I offered to postpone that treatment but she just wanted to get it over with, since she's starting high school this coming Fall.
I hate to put her through this, and I wish that Mother Nature hadn't done this to her spine. But at least we have the technology to help it, to some extent.
I plan to investigate Schroth therapy. Beatriz's office is only 10 miles from my house, so if it is actually a beneficial therapy, we will do it.
I hope that one day they find a definitive reason (or set of reasons) why scoliosis occurs. Or at least a way to stop it in its tracks and totally correct once it is detected. Gene therapy or something.
I also want to add that I think kids aren't checked early enough for scoliosis. I think that ALL parents should be made aware that while their children are in the prime growing years, their backs should be checked every 3 to 6 months, especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Before this, I had no idea about scoliosis. My attitude was "yeah, some people get that, but my kids are OK." And then out of the blue...NOT. I had no idea that once the spine starts curving, a brace will not make it normal again. So many misconceptions. The pubic should be better educated! I know a LOT about various medical conditions and I felt totally stupid that this information had slipped past me.
I'm still angry at the doctors who told me that "the scoliosis will stop after she gets her period." This was so wrong. What they should have said was, "In some cases the scoliosis stops after a girl gets her period. But in other cases it gets worse as she goes through a growth spurt. So you have to keep a close eye on it." That would have been a hell of a lot more accurate, and if I'd know that, we might have been able to get her into a brace 6 months ago with a lesser curve.
Well hindsight is always 20/20. I'm relieved that she has started active treatment and I'm just crossing my fingers....
She was fairly uncomfortable during the fitting. I suppose it must not feel good to be so constricted. But she was really a trooper. It was hard for me to sit there and watch her wince.
I expect my daughter to be compliant. She totally understands why she needs to wear the brace and wants to do everything she can to help herself. I expect that it may be rocky for a few weeks, but hopefully she will get used to it and will be able to sleep OK. Mainly I hope the brace is able to do its job and hold her curve. Her risser is about 4, and she has another inch or two to grow. Steve said that based on his experience, a girl like her will probably need to wear the brace for 2 years.
Before the appointment, my daughter had mentioned that she didn't have any shorts that fit her anymore (and we're in the middle of a heat wave). So, after picking up the brace, I noticed that there was a Ross store across the street. We had quite a shopping spree. I totally indulged her (she needed the clothes anyway). Then we got some lunch. It was a nice mother-daugther day except for the discomfort of the brace fitting. I think all the new stuff I bought her really cheered her up.
The poor kid also just got braces on her teeth last week (she will need them for a year). I offered to postpone that treatment but she just wanted to get it over with, since she's starting high school this coming Fall.
I hate to put her through this, and I wish that Mother Nature hadn't done this to her spine. But at least we have the technology to help it, to some extent.
I plan to investigate Schroth therapy. Beatriz's office is only 10 miles from my house, so if it is actually a beneficial therapy, we will do it.
I hope that one day they find a definitive reason (or set of reasons) why scoliosis occurs. Or at least a way to stop it in its tracks and totally correct once it is detected. Gene therapy or something.
I also want to add that I think kids aren't checked early enough for scoliosis. I think that ALL parents should be made aware that while their children are in the prime growing years, their backs should be checked every 3 to 6 months, especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Before this, I had no idea about scoliosis. My attitude was "yeah, some people get that, but my kids are OK." And then out of the blue...NOT. I had no idea that once the spine starts curving, a brace will not make it normal again. So many misconceptions. The pubic should be better educated! I know a LOT about various medical conditions and I felt totally stupid that this information had slipped past me.
I'm still angry at the doctors who told me that "the scoliosis will stop after she gets her period." This was so wrong. What they should have said was, "In some cases the scoliosis stops after a girl gets her period. But in other cases it gets worse as she goes through a growth spurt. So you have to keep a close eye on it." That would have been a hell of a lot more accurate, and if I'd know that, we might have been able to get her into a brace 6 months ago with a lesser curve.
Well hindsight is always 20/20. I'm relieved that she has started active treatment and I'm just crossing my fingers....
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