I am new here. My daughter (18 next week) and son (just turned 15 in July) both have scoliosis. When I was screened in my school, they referred me, but it was very minor. When my daughter was 12, I noticed her dress was hanging oddly and I kept telling her to stand up straight so I could take her picture... She was diagnosed with scoliosis and we visited an orthopedic doc about every 6 months until she was stable, somewhere between 22 & 25. My son started getting watched at around age 11. Just because he was a boy, the doctors didn't think it would be anything to worry about. Once I told them that he was also born with club feet and had surgery when he was 6 months old, then they became more concerned about his spine. He was diagnosed with low 30's (that is what they said) lumbar curve and 22 thoracic curve in October 2014. The doctor told me we should seriously consider surgery. My son was put in a Boston Brace and got new shoe orthotics with a 1 cm lift for his left foot.
Bad mom moment, but I thought we had scheduled his May brace follow up appointment, but when June rolled around, I realized I never even scheduled an appointment and we never had a 6 month check. When I called for an appointment (Vanderbilt Children's Hospital), the earliest was 10/23 and we were put on a cancellation list. I just called again last week, still on the cancellation list.
In the meantime, he has grown 2.5 inches since the brace, it doesn't fit anymore and he looks more crooked and has a more prominent hump on the left bottom side. I have been researching other options and doctors and found out about the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, MO and am determined to get him fusionless surgery. He is a late bloomer, he is 5'8" now and I would imagine will be close to 6' (dad is 6', uncle is 6'4' and grandpa was 6'3"). I called Shriners on Monday and left a message with the Nurse who I found out later was on medical leave. Today I called and did a phone intake survey and was told they would get back to us by early next week for a consult appointment. It may be a few months before he can be seen.
So, what next.... should I try to get in to see a different local doctor that I have been told is wonderful and works with scoliosis patients but doesn't do VBT. There is also a doc in Atlanta that does VBT, but I know nothing about him. Or should I wait for Shriners? I am afraid our window of opportunity for VBT is closing quickly.
Bad mom moment, but I thought we had scheduled his May brace follow up appointment, but when June rolled around, I realized I never even scheduled an appointment and we never had a 6 month check. When I called for an appointment (Vanderbilt Children's Hospital), the earliest was 10/23 and we were put on a cancellation list. I just called again last week, still on the cancellation list.
In the meantime, he has grown 2.5 inches since the brace, it doesn't fit anymore and he looks more crooked and has a more prominent hump on the left bottom side. I have been researching other options and doctors and found out about the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, MO and am determined to get him fusionless surgery. He is a late bloomer, he is 5'8" now and I would imagine will be close to 6' (dad is 6', uncle is 6'4' and grandpa was 6'3"). I called Shriners on Monday and left a message with the Nurse who I found out later was on medical leave. Today I called and did a phone intake survey and was told they would get back to us by early next week for a consult appointment. It may be a few months before he can be seen.
So, what next.... should I try to get in to see a different local doctor that I have been told is wonderful and works with scoliosis patients but doesn't do VBT. There is also a doc in Atlanta that does VBT, but I know nothing about him. Or should I wait for Shriners? I am afraid our window of opportunity for VBT is closing quickly.
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