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  • Daughter recently diagnosed

    My daughter (7 months) has recently been diagnosed with infantile scoliosis. We went to see the specialist and I am not sure if we received the best examination. The doctor briefly examined her back and looked at her x-rays that were taken a month before. He said her curve was anywhere from 16 to 23 degrees (depending on which vert. it started from). It seems as though not much was done. I have read about other doctors looking at their hips, etc. He barely looked at her. He said to come back when she was a year adjusted age (which is 14 months for her). No MRI was requested. First of all that seems like a long time to wait. I know that odds are high that she will resolve, but if she doesn't the time between visits seems a bit much. Plus do they normally not know exactly where the curve starts on stops. Not having an exact vertibrae could change the degree in her curve the next time she goes. Any thoughts on this doctor's visit. Does that seem normal?
    Dawn Frazier

  • #2
    Hi Dawn,

    Trust your instincts! At this stage it's important to determine whether your baby's curve is progressive or resolving. I'm assuming her curve is idiopathic but that may not be the case. Waiting an additional 7 months before the next clinic visit is unacceptable!!!! If your baby had an x-ray a month ago, you should aim to have an additional x-ray repeated in another month or 2. Your doctor will be able to compare both x-rays to see if the RVAD is increasing or decreasing - in fact he should have been able to get this number from the first x-ray. I imagine he didn't tell you what the RVAD number was or whether your baby's scoliosis is in stage 1 or 2 of progression ?
    Last edited by Celia; 11-17-2006, 05:28 PM.

    Canadian eh
    Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

    Comment


    • #3
      That does sound weird. I thought the normal progression was to first determine from x-rays there is a curve. And then an mri to make sure nothing is causing the curve.

      I would definintly take her to have a 2nd opinion. But that is all that I have learned from here.

      Good luck with it.

      BTW, did you notice the curve yourself?


      jason

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      • #4
        I noticed that she leans to the right. I asked the pediatrician if she thought was an indication that she was growing wrong, so she sent her for an x-ray. When they looked at her x-ray they estimated a 25 degree curve.
        Dawn Frazier

        Comment


        • #5
          Dawn,

          If you are going for a second opinion, there is a list in the SRS website of doctors who *specialize* in scoliosis. I'm a little hesitant to give you doctors names who don't routinely cast infant children because I personally believe that serial casting is the way to go with progressive infantile idiopathic scoliosis and unfortunately there are not many doctors in the U.S. that use this procedure - some claim not to believe in serial casting so I guess they don't believe in saving lives and would rather operate and ruin the child's life.
          I have yet to read a case of an infant with progressive infantile scoliosis who was cured of his/her scoliosis with plastic bracing.

          Anyway.... I'm getting ahead of myself since your baby may have the resolving type which must be determined within the next month or two with an additional x-ray. A good article to read is "Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis" by Min Mehta and another one is "Growth as a Corrective Force..." by the same author.



          http://www.scoliosis-support.org/mod...wcat.php?cid=4

          http://www.srs.org/locator/locator.asp
          Last edited by Celia; 11-21-2006, 08:46 AM.

          Canadian eh
          Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

          Comment


          • #6
            Another article which you might be interested in reading is:

            Progressive And Resolving Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis: The Differential Diagnosis. Ferreira JH, James JI.

            Here is the link:


            http://www.jbjs.org.uk/cgi/reprint/54-B/4/648
            Last edited by Celia; 11-23-2006, 10:27 PM.

            Canadian eh
            Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

            Comment

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