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Well.....inquiring minds want to know. How did the appointment go ????
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
Thanks Everyone for your caring and support. Nicole's pain went away the nest day, then last night she said it was hurting again.
Not sure what we are going to do at this time. I guess we will see how she is feeling in the next few days.
No, we have not been told to have an MRI. Nicole has seen a total of 6 orthopedics - 3 from Shriner's, 1 from Temple, 2 from Montreal. Nobody has ordered any tests.
I am trying not to be negative, but I need to mentally prepare my mind for anything. We have been "skating on thin ice" since her diagnosis a year ago. When you start with a 37 degree curve, there's not much room to play with.
I also love Green Eggs and Ham. I am not a huge Dr. Suess fan, but I do love that one!!
If you ever go to Universal Studios and Island of Adventures in Orlando, Florida, there is a section of the park devoted to Dr. Seuss. There was one ride that actually took you through the story of the Cat in the Hat. It was really sweet.
Melissa
Melissa
From Bucks County, Pa., USA
Mom to Matthew,19, Jessica, 17, and Nicole, 14
Nicole had surgery with Dr. Dormans on 9/12/07 at Children's Hospital of Phila. She is fused T-2 - L-3
I feel like Nicole should have an MRI to be on the safe side. Chances are there is nothing, on the other hand, if there were any underlying causes to be addressed, you would beat yourself up for not checking.
I didn't realize tests had never been done.
Hugs. Call me anytime.
Cheryl
God has used scoliosis to strengthen and mold us. He's good all the time!On this forum these larger curves have not held forever in Spinecor,with an initial positive response followed by deterioration. With deterioration, change treatment.The first year she gained 4 or 5 inches and was stable at around 20/20 in brace, followed by rapid progression the next year.She is now 51/40 (Jan2008)out of brace (40/30 in Spinecor) and started at 38/27 out of brace(Jan2006.) Now in Cheneau.
I can understand your fears. I always thought that pain associated with scoliosis in young children is not common. Has she had an MRI or has any doctor suggested one ?
Rachel had significant pain until the Spinecor. She could not function like a normal child in the year before Spinecor. She has no underlying issues. But I agree that an MRI is necessary for Nicole. I am really surprised no one has taken that precaution before.
We are also great Dr. Suess fans. I have almost all of his books, and they are some of our favorites. Another favorite is Goodnight Moon. We loved to search for the mouse! I am also incredibly fond of Pooh bear; he, Rabbit, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tiger are just dear old friends!
God has used scoliosis to strengthen and mold us. He's good all the time!On this forum these larger curves have not held forever in Spinecor,with an initial positive response followed by deterioration. With deterioration, change treatment.The first year she gained 4 or 5 inches and was stable at around 20/20 in brace, followed by rapid progression the next year.She is now 51/40 (Jan2008)out of brace (40/30 in Spinecor) and started at 38/27 out of brace(Jan2006.) Now in Cheneau.
I think an MRI can be ordered through a regular pediatrician. It's better to have the report read by a pediatric neurosurgeon because sometimes the obvious is missed when it's read by an orthopaedist....NOT that we *ever* had this problem with our ortho.
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
Just curious, is it routine to do an MRI on a pre-teen/teenager when they are diagnosed or is that just the standard for very young children? My daughter was 12 y.o. when she was diagnosed and none of the five doctors who saw her recommended an MRI until we were planning surgery and their explanation for the MRI was to check the size of her pedicles before surgery. I'm glad they did the MRI because it showed her pedicles were too small for pedicle screws and therefore, we knew this before her surgery.
Melissa,
I didn't realize Nicole was diagnosed at 37*. Jamie was diagnosed at 36*.
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.
Mary Lou,
I have never heard of an MRI being done either, unless surgery was the next step. I even asked her ortho at her diagnosis and he said she had the typical, ideopathic scoli. I guess he based this on her age and type of curve. I later asked the orthos at Shriner's and they said it was not necessary.
Cheryl,
Did you say that Rachel had one done?
Melissa
Melissa
From Bucks County, Pa., USA
Mom to Matthew,19, Jessica, 17, and Nicole, 14
Nicole had surgery with Dr. Dormans on 9/12/07 at Children's Hospital of Phila. She is fused T-2 - L-3
I just posted on SpineKids to ask other Parents of pre-teens and teens if their kids routinely got an MRI when they were diagnosed. I'll let you all know what I find.
Melissa
Melissa
From Bucks County, Pa., USA
Mom to Matthew,19, Jessica, 17, and Nicole, 14
Nicole had surgery with Dr. Dormans on 9/12/07 at Children's Hospital of Phila. She is fused T-2 - L-3
Yes, Rachel did have an MRI. She is a juvenile case, though. Maybe they don't routinely order them on adolescents. But adolescents can have the same underlying causes as juveniles. One of my friends has a daughter that until recently was thought to have AIS, but with an MRI, they found a syringomyelia. IF it is not routine with adolescents, maybe underlying causes are less common for adolescents. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............
God has used scoliosis to strengthen and mold us. He's good all the time!On this forum these larger curves have not held forever in Spinecor,with an initial positive response followed by deterioration. With deterioration, change treatment.The first year she gained 4 or 5 inches and was stable at around 20/20 in brace, followed by rapid progression the next year.She is now 51/40 (Jan2008)out of brace (40/30 in Spinecor) and started at 38/27 out of brace(Jan2006.) Now in Cheneau.
I find it ironic that MRI's are routine prior to spinal surgery but not before. If the "cause" of the scoliosis is detected/addressed early enough i.e., through decompression surgery or tethered cord release etc. then the scoliosis will usually resolve to some degree. Sooooo.... why would some doctors wait for the curve to progress to surgery levels and then * oh me oh my * discover that there is an underlying cause that obviously has to be addressed and then perform spinal fusion ????
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
Dr Colliard called on Thursday to reschedule. How inconvenient. We had the whole weekend planned (hotels, a dog sitter, scheduled days from work) Needless to say we are going this weekend I will up date everyone as soon as we get back.
Christine
from CT, USA
6 year old daughter diagnosed 7/06 33* T9
Spinecor 8/06 - 8/2012
8/06 11* 3/07 5*-8/07 8*-2/08 3*
10/08 1* 4/09 Still holding @ 1*
10/09 11* OOB 4/10 Negative 6*
10/2011 Neg.11* IB 11yrs old 0 rotation
4/2012 12* OOB 0 rotation
8/2012 18* OOB for 2 weeks. TSLO night time
2/2013 8* OOB 3 days TSLO nightime
3/2014 8* Out of Brace permanently
I don't know. We had an MRI done with our previous ortho but I think it's standard for infantile scoliosis. There is obviously more to this that I can't possibly comprehend. Maybe the costs of MRI's are prohibitive to have everyone scanned
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
I guess if there are no other symptoms and the child is a pre-teen, they just view it as the most typical of cases. Like I said, we saw 2 from Montreal, 3 from Shriner's in Phila and one from Temple Hospital. I wouldn't be against having one done. It's just interesting that nobody has asked for one. When Nicole was diagnosed, he said her case was so standard and typical that only one x-ray was necessary. He didn't want to order a bunch of x-rays in various positions and expose her to unnecessary radiation.
Melissa
From Bucks County, Pa., USA
Mom to Matthew,19, Jessica, 17, and Nicole, 14
Nicole had surgery with Dr. Dormans on 9/12/07 at Children's Hospital of Phila. She is fused T-2 - L-3
You guys really have me thinking now. Like Nicole, Jamie was seen by several doctors at a total of three different hospitals and the doctor at Shriner's of Philly was the first one to order an MRI (when planning surgery), plus he also ordered a CT (or maybe a CAT scan, not sure which). So, has anyone else had both an MRI and a CT scan? I'll have to check and see if I can find out why he ordered both.
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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