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What can we expect, i.e. does anyone have a crystal ball?

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  • What can we expect, i.e. does anyone have a crystal ball?

    Last year at my daughter's 10 year check up, the Dr. sent her for x-rays suspecting scoliosis. The orthopedist she saw measured it at 8 degrees upper and lower and told her to come back in six months. At that appointment she was now 12* lower and 10* upper. (hope I'm using the right symbols) and was told to come back in six months. Now, at going on 11 years old, she was measured at lower 14* and upper 12*. He recommended she see Dr. Sponseller at Johns Hopkins.

    Dr. S won't see her himself because he doesn't see patients with only a 14* curve but we'll be seeing on of his PA's. Our ortho thinks this is good to get out foot in the door, so to speak.

    So....my loaded question, "what can we expect?" I know kids are all different but what can we realistically expect for an 11 yo girl from this point on? Anyone have a crystal ball?
    Mom to 11 year old DD who was:
    diagnosed 5/09: 8*L, 8*T
    braced 7/10: 17* L, 25*T, 20*C
    x-ray 11/10: 7*L, 17*T, 20*C (x-ray immediately OOB)
    most recent x-ray 06/11: 17*L, 24*T, 22* C (x-ray 24 hours OOB)

  • #2
    Hi...

    Your daughter's risk of progression really depends on her skeletal age (which can vary greatly from actual age), but I doubt that any of the top specialists in the field see patients with sub-treatable curves.

    Here's a great article on the topic:

    http://www.aafp.org/afp/2001/0701/p111.html

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the link. It was a good article.

      I'm pretty sure we're going to have a "wait and see" diagnosis from the specialist office. I think we're being referred there this early because of my daughter's age. I wonder if they'll measure her skeletal age.

      One step at a time, I guess!
      Mom to 11 year old DD who was:
      diagnosed 5/09: 8*L, 8*T
      braced 7/10: 17* L, 25*T, 20*C
      x-ray 11/10: 7*L, 17*T, 20*C (x-ray immediately OOB)
      most recent x-ray 06/11: 17*L, 24*T, 22* C (x-ray 24 hours OOB)

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi
        Many doctors have a wait and see policy for kids that age with low curves. My daughter was about the same age and curve progression as yours. At age 11 ,within a 5 month period over summer, her L curve jumped from 14 to 32 . We were shocked and she was put in a boston brace at that time. I blamed my self for not noticing her stance & unlevel hips. I found some photos during that time and asked how could I have not seen it. She wore the brace for over 2 years and at age 16.5 her curves have held at 11 & 21. ( Last xray-Jan 2010 ) It was not easy but hers is a brace success story. My point is this. If the doctors continue with 6 or 12 month check ups ,don't obsess but observe her posture and backs and hips in between appointments for any obvious changes. Some curves never progress, some do slowly and some cannot be halted by any means. Hope all goes well with her.

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        • #5
          Hi! Do you have a family history of scoliosis? One month after my 14 year old had surgery last summer, we discovered her younger sister had an 11 and 15 S curve. Our Dr. put her in a providence night brace and 6 months later the curves had not changed. We go back in June and I hope she is still straight or almost straight. The only reason we went ahead and put her in the brace was because our dr recommended it because of family history. My 14 year old curves were 25 and 32 at age 11, double that of her sisters.
          Becky

          Comment


          • #6
            We don't have any family history of scoliosis.

            My daughter has an appointment with the PA in Dr. Sponseller's office for June 4th. I'm guessing we'll be told to "wait and watch".
            Mom to 11 year old DD who was:
            diagnosed 5/09: 8*L, 8*T
            braced 7/10: 17* L, 25*T, 20*C
            x-ray 11/10: 7*L, 17*T, 20*C (x-ray immediately OOB)
            most recent x-ray 06/11: 17*L, 24*T, 22* C (x-ray 24 hours OOB)

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by JessicaNoVa View Post
              We don't have any family history of scoliosis.
              I didn't think there was any family history of scoliosis until after my daughters' diagnosis and talking with relatives.

              There are cases on both sides of the family including a fusion. None of this would have come to light absent the diagnosis.

              Scoliosis has a strong genetic component and has a prevalence rate of 2-4% of the population. How many members are in your extended family?
              Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

              No island of sanity.

              Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
              Answer: Medicine


              "We are all African."

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by JessicaNoVa View Post
                My daughter has an appointment with the PA in Dr. Sponseller's office for June 4th. I'm guessing we'll be told to "wait and watch".
                Most small curves do not progress and some correct completely on their own. Only perhaps 1 in 1,000 curves ever progresses to surgery range.

                Watch and wait saves the huge majority of kids from onerous and expensive treatments they don't need. Further, there is no good evidence the treatments that we do have are effective.

                Hence watch and wait.

                Good luck.
                Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                No island of sanity.

                Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                Answer: Medicine


                "We are all African."

                Comment

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