Suggestion for 13-year old

[mariaf]

That's great news!!!

And, yes, please go have fun at the beach

[jessica]

for pain,try inversion table,5 minutes at a time 3 times a day,spinecor also help.

I haven't been to the forum for quite some time. My daughter was initally diagnosed with a 26 degree curve a couple of years ago. She is now thirteen. We have been watching her (no bracing) and in March when she returned for more xrays her curve had progressed to 40 degrees. Her orthopedic surgeon wants to see her back in March of 2009 because she will basically be done growing by then. However...within the last two months or so we have seen a change in her spine. The curve looks worse to us and she cries that her back hurts. I've even noticed she is using pillows to sit and a bunch of pillow to sleep. When I tell her maybe we should take her back to the orthopedist, she gets upset with me because I think she is scared of what may come next. SHe has a left thoracic curve. We've even noticed her shirts fitting differently. Is it ok for me to wait to take her back to the doctor if I think the curve has progressed, possibly quickly over the last couple of months? Am I making things worse for her if we agree to wait? I just want to do what is right and try to make her happy at the same time.

any suggestions would be very helfpul.

Worrisome mom

[jessica]

These surgeons may have had high degree of education, but they didn't knoe everything, it doesn't take a genius to know that scoliosis hurts,since the spine is not straight it pinches the nerve where the curve is, my daughter was diagnose at 12 years of age, that was last august and our doctor just shrugged his shoulder and said it wasn't too obvious and there's nothing to worry about (25 and 20 degrees).My main concern was her pain everyday so my husband bought an inversion table immediately and she uses it 3 times a day for 5 minutes at a time. Her pain is history now, she would only go upside down whenever she remembers. We also took her to an orthotist in Seattle last february to get a spinecor brace, and she's been wearing it for more then 4 months now, just got her x-ray done last week and her curve is 23 and 23 degrees out-of-the brace. She didn't improve but she didn't get worse either, and no pain.

[fcefalu]

Don't wait

Growth spurts seem to accelerate the progression of the curve. Go back to the orhto.

[The Slice]

To all whom have posted on this thread and are interested, here are a couple of links that while confusing, might be a bit interesting.

http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/Pdf...-784510585.xml

http://www.utdol.com/home/content/to...=ped_orth/4271

I am by no means an expert on any of this, but I thought I saw a couple of things on puberty and scoliosis. One that there are differences in the rate of the growth spurt which may have something to do with when it starts, and something on scoliosis that either it was suggested, or there was a study in progress correlating rate of growth and amount of growth during the growth spurt and scoliosis. It's been a while since I've seen it so my memory is a little foggy on it. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to have them "interpreted" into lay person's lingo, but I'd be interested to see a translation. BTW, I just Googled these up, and have no particular ties to any documentation. It's interesting the one study talking about (if I understood it) increased testosterone levels in a higher percentage of the girls with Idiopathic scoliosis than the control group (those without IS).

[Essi]

www.scoliosissos.com.
i went there when i was 13, helped me a great deal.
(:

[Mom37]

How did it go?

I haven't been on the forum in a long time. It is a great source of information. I know how hard it is with a teen and their emotions in this difficult time. My daughter was very emotional and upset and did not want anyone to know. She was so devastated, but now is not worried at all that everyone on the swim team sees her scar, and people ask her about it. We went to Shiners in Erie, PA. as second opinion and Scottish Rite as a third. Definitely get as many opinions as you need. I recommend Scottish Rite and cannot say enough to tell you how great they were. My daughter is now 15, been over a year since surgery, and is doing great. Take care and feel free to private message.