spinecor

[Pooka1]

Thanks Maria.

You have some pretty good guts there! It was my feeling also but it needed checking.

I feel better going in to see the geneticist now.

[HaleyMom]

Inserts

I contacted Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard about Halle's pronated ankles, about whether she should get inserts for her shoes or not and this is the response I got... I had no idea! So I guess she can't get inserts until she's older? I don't know what to do because she really should have that taken care of or she may have problems with her ankles as she gets older...

"Except if your daughter have important feet pain you must not treat her feet because you have a very high risk to increase the scoliotic curve with any insert but the decision is yours.

Best Regards

Dr Coillard and Dr Rivard"

Interesting response from Drs Coillard and Rivard!
Our Dr did prescribe custom-made orthotics for Haley. At first it was just her ankles that bent inwards but then her knees started to do the same. After 6 months of wearing the orthotics her legs look so much straighter and fortunately her back did not get any worse.

[MJB]

Sharon I'm glad your girls appointment went well!

[MJB]

Interesting response from Drs Coillard and Rivard!
Our Dr did prescribe custom-made orthotics for Haley. At first it was just her ankles that bent inwards but then her knees started to do the same. After 6 months of wearing the orthotics her legs look so much straighter and fortunately her back did not get any worse.

I know, I was surprised! I can't see how it would hurt her curve at all and her ankles are very important too, I think I am going to just go ahead and get my family doctor to refer us to someone for that.

[Pooka1]

Sharon I'm glad your girls appointment went well!

Thanks MJB. I appreciate it.

s

[mariaf]

Not sure if it is exactly the same thing, but I know lots of kids w/scoli who also have minor leg length discrepancies. A lot of orthos prescribe custom-made shoe lifts or inserts - and I have never heard that this can make the curve worse, quite the contrary.

Maybe I'm missing something.............

[MJB]

Not sure if it is exactly the same thing, but I know lots of kids w/scoli who also have minor leg length discrepancies. A lot of orthos prescribe custom-made shoe lifts or inserts - and I have never heard that this can make the curve worse, quite the contrary.

Maybe I'm missing something.............

Yeah actually there was a little girl at the office getting her brace the same day Halle got hers and she got a shoe lift in one of her shoes, so I know that Dr. Rivard does give those...

Halle is flat footed and her ankles are pronated, her dad is the same actually and only getting treated right now at the age of 29.

[mariaf]

Thanks for clarifying, MJB.

So I guess you are saying (or Dr. Rivard is saying) that there is a difference between the shoe lifts for LLD's and those for pronated ankles.

Like I said, I could be missing something here - please let me know if you learn more about this - very interesting........

[MJB]

Thanks for clarifying, MJB.

So I guess you are saying (or Dr. Rivard is saying) that there is a difference between the shoe lifts for LLD's and those for pronated ankles.

Like I said, I could be missing something here - please let me know if you learn more about this - very interesting........

Well after Dr. Coillard responded to me saying what I quoted above, Dr. Rivard said we'll look into this more at her appointment in October, so it sounds like he's willing to do something if he thinks it's necessary... Although would she need to be referred to a foot specialist for this though? That's what my H seems to think.

[mariaf]

Although would she need to be referred to a foot specialist for this though?

I'm not 100% sure on that - but I believe that the kids who got inserts/lifts for leg lenghth discepancies got them right from their orthos.

Keep us posted!

[Pooka1]

I'm not 100% sure on that - but I believe that the kids who got inserts/lifts for leg lenghth discepancies got them right from their orthos.

Keep us posted!

Our ortho gave my girls their inserts to correct their flat feet.

I wish my flat feet were corrected when I was younger.

Not sure a podiatrist is necessarily skilled in this area like an ortho is but I don't know that. And I doubt chiros should be dabbling in this (or any) area.

[HaleyMom]

We didn't have to go to a separate Dr.

They had a computerized mat in the office that they had her stand on. The mat created a topological map of the bottoms of her feet as well as determined the relative weight on each foot. She puts ~ 6 pounds more weight on one foot than the other. They also had her walk across the mat to look at how her feet strike the ground. You can watch on the computer and clearly see how her heal strikes the ground and then the entire foot rolls inward.

The custom-made orthotics will cost you a couple hundred so ensure you have pre-approval from your insurance company first.

[WNCmom]

Sharon--

I'm glad to hear the results of your girls' tests. A week ago Sidney also had an echocardiagram to rule out heart problems and an ophthalmology test to rule out lens dislocation. I just got the results of the echo today, and am happy to report that it shows his heart to be normal. We knew immediately about the eye exam; it also showed no problems. So you're right--Maria's gut feeling was right on.

I agree that there are many people walking around who look like they could have Marfan's--my husband and many in his family are some of them. Sidney does have mild protrusio acetabulae (a thinning of the space between the femur head and the pelvic socket, as I understand it), and that's what concerned Dr. Betz and causes him to believe a Marfan-like condition is driving the scoli curve. But we're all breathing a sigh of relief that the two really serious conditions that could also be present are not.

[Pooka1]

Sharon--

I'm glad to hear the results of your girls' tests. A week ago Sidney also had an echocardiagram to rule out heart problems and an ophthalmology test to rule out lens dislocation. I just got the results of the echo today, and am happy to report that it shows his heart to be normal. We knew immediately about the eye exam; it also showed no problems. So you're right--Maria's gut feeling was right on.

Mary Ellen, that's great! What a load off! You and I have been on the same path here somewhat and I think about Sidney during these appointment the girls are having.

I agree that there are many people walking around who look like they could have Marfan's--my husband and many in his family are some of them. Sidney does have mild protrusio acetabulae (a thinning of the space between the femur head and the pelvic socket, as I understand it), and that's what concerned Dr. Betz and causes him to believe a Marfan-like condition is driving the scoli curve. But we're all breathing a sigh of relief that the two really serious conditions that could also be present are not.

I have to remember to ask Campion at our next appointment about this radiographic finding. I want to know if the girls have that. The cardiologist agreed my girls have many of the skeletal indicators and we have to wait for the geneticist's opinion to see whether they are at risk for emergent Marfan's and so should repeat the heart testing at some later date. Even if they do, we are on top of the heart testing situation so we can get surgery ahead of any crisis. But I hope to have this all put to bed one way or the other by mid August when we see the geneticist at UNC. Then, on to whatever the next crisis is...

Again, I'm so happy for your family, Mary Ellen.

Best regards,
sharon

[mariaf]

The cardiologist agreed my girls have many of the skeletal indicators and we have to wait for the geneticist's opinion to see whether they are at risk for emergent Marfan's and so should repeat the heart testing at some later date.

Hi Sharon,

Since it worked last time, I will say it again, my feeling is that the geneticest will have the same answer - that your girls are fine

I did want to mention since you brought up "emergent Marans's" that I think I recall reading somewhere (not sure if this is correct) that when the syndrome does emerge later on, it is usually not as severe as the early onset type. Again, my memory if foggy on this - and anyway, as I said, I doubt it will be relevant to your girls.