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pediatric ortho or spinal surgeon?

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  • pediatric ortho or spinal surgeon?

    Hi everyone,
    My daughter is 14 and has a double curve. We are doing an alternative for now instead of surgery because she refuses to have it. Anyway, she is due to go back and get x rays in may or June. We did not care for the pediatric ortho she went to. My question is for surgery which one is better for a 14 year old? A spinal surgeon (I dont know how many kids they work with) or a pediatric ortho that might have set broken arms for the past few weeks and not backs. I dont know how to decide which to make the appt with. Hellllp! Bonnie9557@aol.com

  • #2
    Hi Bonnie,

    Your preference should be a pediatric orthopedist who specializes in scoliosis. There are quite a few out there... if you don't like the current ortho you see (or if the ortho has little or no scoliosis experience) FIND A NEW ONE. A spinal surgeon can be an orthopedist or a neurosurgeon or even a general surgeon. I would stay away from ANY surgeon who does not routinely do scoliosis surgeries (like every week).

    Good luck and let us know things go.
    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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    • #3
      If you aren't happy with your ortho...get a new one. You'll be dealing with this person for a long time and it's best to get one you feel you can work with. On whether to see a ped. ortho or spinal surgeon...if they are saying surgery as a highly possible option, I would find a spinal surgeon that has experience with scoliosis. I had back surgery at age 12 for Congenital Kyphosoliosis and my primary doctor was a spinal surgeon. I find they are more specialized and have more specific knowledge of the spine and it's disorders. If surgery is not a high possiblity or certainty, I say find a doctor you like and trust whether it's a spinal surgeon or ortho.

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      • #4
        i go to children's hospital of philadelphia (apparently one of the best children's hospitals in the world) and see an orthopedist who specializes in tumors and scoliosis. i had my surgery three years ago (i wish my mom let me choose with my surgeries lol ). if you can find an orthopedist who specializes in scoliosis, that would probably be the best thing to do.

        if you don't have one in your area, i would probably go to a spinal surgeon because they must have seen at least a few scoliosis cases, some of which were probably teenagers.

        i hope that i may have helped a bit, and good luck to you and your daughter
        Marlana
        16, Senior
        Spina Bifida
        Boston Brace for 2 years
        Spinal Fusion July 25, 2002
        Post-Op Brace for 6 months

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