spinecor

[gerbo]

What ???! You want a technical explanation ??! Do I look like a doctor to you ? ???

You might have a good pedigree as I do clearly remember the bible of herbal medicine by a dr Vogel, a swiss dr, circulating round our house when i was young (er)

If it it true what you've read, than it must be due to anatomical changes in the way ribs attach to the vertebrae which have developped secundary to all other changes and which take time to revert, even once the rotation is corrected. So rib hump must be caused by more than just the rotation, cannot think of another explanation.

Also, it does make sense that anything that applies to infantile/juvenile scoliosis should also, in principlke, apply to adolescent scoliosis.

[Celia]

You might have a good pedigree as I do clearly remember the bible of herbal medicine by a dr Vogel, a swiss dr, circulating round our house when i was young (er)

Gerbo,

Although our family is very much into natural remedies, there is no relation to the Vogels you refer to. My inlaws are German not Swedish and I think Vogel means bird in German

[gerbo]

My inlaws are German

Do they still live in Germany, or did they move to Canada??

not Swedish

just for the record, swiss relates to people from switserland, not from sweden (I know it gets very confusing for people from USA/Canada, all those different tiny countries in Europe "why can they not be like us, big and powerful" )

and I think Vogel means bird in German

yes, as it does in dutch

[Celia]

They live here in Canada They speak English with a thick German accent. My husband was born in Montreal so he doesn't have the accent - very Canadian.

Wow, I didn't even pick up on the distinction between Swiss and Swedish ! Thanks for pointing that out, and ahem.....it's NOT because we think of ourselves as big and powerful - certainly NOT Canadians

[Celia]

Celia,
Have you asked for a smaller pelvic base? My daughter was having the same problem and the doc put her in a smaller pelvic base. It made a huge difference.

I don't know if they carry smaller ones ? My daughter is only 5.

[Celia]

Hey Gang,

I just wanted to give you all a quick update on yesterday's follow-up appointment in Montreal......Deirdre's curve is now "1" degree in the brace !!!!!!!!! So I guess you can say things are going really well for us. During the past five weeks I noticed that strap #3 and #4 were getting a little loose and not really pushing into the apex as much, so I used judgment and tightened it a little with the velcro fasteners near the shoulders. I found out from Dr. Coillard yesterday that this is O.K. I was instructed not to adjust strap #1 or #2 ( which I haven't) Dr. Coillard actually tightened strap #3 and #4 a little more. The next followup appointment is in five months. I am so thankful things are going well for us and I hope to hear the same from all my internet friends *cheers*

[MATJESNIC]

Spinecor

Celia,
YEAHNESS!!!!! I am so excited for Deirdre and you all. Can you remind me what her curves were before? Also, did they go down without the brace on, too? Nicole's straps seem loose too. But I don't know if I am allowed to tighten them by the shoulder. One time we did. Why are you only allowed to tighten certain ones? This is why I wish we had a dr. in the area. I would stop by weekly just to make sure everything was right. Great News!!!
I have some news to share that if off the subject. My sister just received the picture of her new daughter from China. She is 6 months old. We got a real Cutie Pie. She and her husband expect to get her sometime in January. Off the topic, but I need to tell the whole world!!!
Celia, I am so happy for you all. Have a great day.
Melissa

[Celia]

Melissa,

Deirdre is not the typical case, she's an infantile idiopathic scoliosis baby. She just turned 5 in October. Her curve at diagnosis 3 1/2 years ago was 60 degrees and through serial casting and now the Spinecor brace we are able to maintain her curve at "1" degree *yeah !!!!* I think it's safe to say that casts are no longer in Deirdre's future

In Deirdre's case, strap #1 and #2 criss-cross at the front and that area is already snug, so there is no need to tighten it even more. Strap # 3 and #4 are intended to push against the apex of her curve (which is a left thoracic curve) and both stretch under her left side. Cyprus mom got me thinking that the elastic bands stretch over time and may need to be tightened a little - which is what I did - and Dr Coillard tightened them even more on Thursday. I know what you mean about having a dr close by, it's not easy but what can we do ????

Wonderful news about your sister's adoption !!!!! Such an exciting time....

[MATJESNIC]

curve

Celia,
I'm not sure if you would know this but, Nicole's left shoulder blade sticks out. Does that mean she has a left curve? Also, would a spinecor brace have helped Deirdre from the beginning if you would have known about it. Or do you think the cast would have still been necessary?
Melissa

[Celia]

Melissa,

I'm not sure about Nicole, but left sided curves in adolescent children is rare - it's more common in infantile scoliosis. Our ortho at the time, Dr. Hedden stated that if the casts didn't hold her they would have to consider spinal fusion. Progressive infantile scoliosis is very hard to control. I think the Spinecor brace is intended for smaller curves.

[Celia]

Melissa,

I was just thinking about your post regarding Nicole's shooting neck pain ! If Nicole's main curve is left thoracic, she should have an MRI to rule out spinal cord issues. I think it's common for Drs to request an MRI in teenagers with left thoracic curves. I don't mean to worry you, but if there is something going on with the spinal cord, no amount of bracing or surgery to correct the scoliosis will help until the spinal cord issue is dealt with first.

[MATJESNIC]

Celia,
That is interesting that you should say that. Nicole went to two very reputable doctors and hospitals and I asked both of them is she needed any more tests such as an MRI. Both of them said "No." They said it was a typical, standard idio. scoliosis. Also, her local chiro said her curve was in her thorasic/lumbar area. Does that matter? Also, she only had that pain that one night. And it has not returned. Are you saying that you think she has a curve that is not common. Why hasn't any other doctor mentioned that if it is uncommon. We also go to her spinecor doctor in N.Y. and he never mentioned anything. Of course, it couldn't hurt for me to bring her in for an MRI anyway.
Thanks for your concern.
Melissa

[MATJESNIC]

curve

Celia,
My husband just came downstairs and I asked him which way Nicole' curve goes. He said "It curves to the right." Her left shoulder blade sticks out, but that doesn't mean she curves to the left. We took out the x-rays to confirm that. Like I said before, both reputable doctors said this was a typical scoli case. So it wouldn't make sense that she would have an uncommon curve. Thanks for your concern. I appreciate how all the Moms want to help one another.Thanks for your concern.
Melissa

[cyprusmom]

Hello everyone,
it's been a while since I checked on the forum. What great news from Celia!!! This kind of result can give every spinecor user greater faith and hope...But what do you mean that your daughter is not a typical case? And with an original 60 degree curve? That is quite amazing! Do you think she will still have to wear it until she stops growing like our 11-12 year-olds? In any case I am very happy for you. I know how stressfull it is until you hear the outcome. I am taking my daughter for her very first follow up with the orthotic in 3 days and I am getting quite nervous...I have no clue what to expect although it is still early. I think this is mainly an adjustment-if needed- to the straps but still I want to hear something positive.

Melissa, my daughters' right blade sticks out and she has a clockwise rotation of the thorax which causes that. Her spine goes like a reversed "s" on the x-rays, if you get the picture and this is classified as right thoracic. That is interesting what Celia said that left thoracic is rare. Are you sure this is what Nicole has? Her in-brace correcion is quite good though, if I remember well, so should you really worry if it's left or right? The neck pain she had maybe you should check on it. My daughter had back pain long before we 'discovered' her scoliosis and also frequent headaches. They have almost dissappeared now.
Yes, I would love to have a doctor close by to check the brace too...at least we have this forum! I hope and wish for all of us to have positive results.

[Celia]

Cyprusmom,

Let us know how the follow up appointment goes ! What I meant by Deirdre not being the typical case is that infantile scoliosis is very rare compared to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. If she has to wear the Spinecor until she finishes growing I'm O.K. with that, since it's a very comfortable brace and her life is relatively normal right now. I suspect that with time, attempts will be made to wean her from the brace and see what happens to the curve.


Melissa,

Hey, we have to look out for each other ! Please check with a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, if he/she decides to followup with an MRI make sure that the MRI report is reviewed by a pediatric neurosurgeon - I've read some real horror stories about misread MRIs! Here is a link to pediatric neurosurgeons:

http://www.aspn.org/

Sometimes if there is a spinal cord issue that is causing the scoliosis, once the problem is corrected the scoliosis may self correct to a certain extent. You are your child's best advocate ! I've heard this phrase so many times.... and it really is true !