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  • Question for post-op parents

    Just wondering how many have their kids carry their medical information on them, meaning: date/type of surgery, length of fusion, ortho surgeon, etc., in the event of an accident? And for those that travel by school bus for school activities, do you know for sure this information is kept with a person in charge?

    After hearing of a couple of recent accidents involving kids at a fellow school
    it seems that may not always be the case. While there were medical release forms to treat in an emergency, there wasn't any history with it. It made me realize that just because the school may be aware of my son's surgery I can't assume things like this will be taken care of.

    Anyway, something I was thinking about and hadn't seen any discussion about.

    Renee

  • #2
    Renee,

    I know a few people who had medical alert bracelets made up. Since Jamie would never wear one, I simply made up a business card for each of my daughters to keep in their purse with their school identification cards. Along with Jamie's spinal fusion, I also included things like blood type, emergency contact phone numbers, as well as the phone number of the family doctor.

    Mary Lou
    Mom to Jamie age 21-diagnosed at age 12-spinal fusion 12/7/2004-fused from T3-L2; and Tracy age 19, mild Scoliosis-diagnosed at age 18.

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    • #3
      Good idea Mary Lou, most adults carry that sort of info. I will do that for my girls as well.
      Cheryl

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      • #4
        annas ortho-surgeroen told her to wear an alert bracelet. they look like they allergy ones and so many kids at her school have those that its starting to become a fashion!
        Annie. (61* Before surgery 8* after, Surgery 1990)
        Mother of
        Anna, age 11, 54* curve (surgery on 9/2)
        Mack, age 7, 32* curve (TLSO Brace)
        Meghan, age 2 18* curve (Monitering)
        www.potterfamily.piczo.com

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        • #5
          504 plan

          I've kept my post-op kid under the 504 plan, and will throughout all her school years, specifically so EVERYONE knows about her back; she was involved in a school trip bus accident a year after her fusion, and because she's a "504" they were most aware of her fused back and acted accordingly. pat

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          • #6
            Braydon started middle school this year. I purchased a Medic-Alert bracelet for him, since he'll be away from home more often than not. I'd hate for an accident to happen and no one knows what to do with him. Hopefully he'll never need it, but its a peace of mind thing to know he's got it.

            Braydon also has a 504 plan in place. Communication is important.
            Carmell
            mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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            • #7
              What is a 504 plan? I have never heard of this?
              Linda
              Mom to Hunter (10 yrs old), status post posterior spinal fusion T1-sacrum 7/24/06 w/spastic quad CP

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              • #8
                I'm not a parent, nor have I had spinal surgery. I would suspect that a medical release for any trips would have space on the form to add this information. I have worked with a youth program for a couple of years doing mission work in the summer. We would get there by driving in a caravan of vehicles. When at our center, it was mandatory that each team had a copy of each volunteer's medical form in that vehicle in the event of an emergency. There were also copies of all that info that was kept at the center as a back up. With this said, there are a couple of other steps that can be taken. First has already been mentioned - that is ID with info on the person. The other is to have the child (children) use the buddy system for any medical problems such as heart problems, asthma, allergies, epilepsy, and more. They should have one person (a peer that they trust) be aware of their situation and and what if anything needs to be done in emergency, or at least know what is up so thet they can inform emergency personnel.

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                • #9
                  Hi Linda,

                  A 504 plan is a federal law that requires public schools to provide an equal education for children who have physical disabilities/needs. The kids who qualify for 504 plans do not have academic needs. It is comprable to an IEP. 504 plans tend to be "looser" and not as enforceable as IEPs, but for some kids, like Braydon, they do just fine. For Braydon, its a good excuse/reason to get all the teachers together at the beginning of the year and "teach" them about Braydon and any needs he may have. HTH
                  Carmell
                  mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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                  • #10
                    Thanks for the replies. I do have information written on a card in my son's wallet, but he doesn't always carry it around. I like the idea of the medic alert - I know my son wouldn't wear a bracelet but maybe something like the military "dog tags" that can be worn around neck/hidden under shirt.

                    We have a health plan (not as formal as a 504) with the school. I have found though, at times, people don't understand it takes a full year for recovery.

                    Gotta go,

                    Renee

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                    • #11
                      I had three spinal surgeries when I was a teenager. Never have I carried any thing on my person to inform any medical staff of this. The main reason being that medical staff will not look through your purse in cases where the patient is unconcious, nor really care much if there is metal in around the spine or any where else for that matter, unless that area has been damaged but they would use the same precausious whether there were plates and rods in there as they would with any other spinal trauma.

                      They though will do a simple phsycial of the body. Which will show whether or not the patient had surgery, depending on where the scares are often indicates the type of surgery they have had. But that is all arrelivant unless the patient has had trauma to the site where the surgery took place. If trauma did occur there the dr will order diagnostic tests to determine the cause and severity of the injury. Upon examination of the imagining the doctor will realize that there is metal in there and act accordingly.

                      The only time I would suggest carrying your spinal medical surgery history is when going through security at an airport. It may prevent your child from having to be strip searched by customs officers.

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