6 year-old in Spinecor - any other young ones?

[beauvais]

My 6 year old just got her spinecor. She's got a 48 degree curve, with a 33 degree compensatory curve. This progressed from in the 20s 6 months ago, and before that it was not detectible. Anyway, we are having logistical issues in the Spinecor - namely she is not old enough to get it on and off herself (the snaps are tough) and we can't figure out a good way for her to use the bathroom without a lot of akwardness. Is there anyone out there with young kids who may have some ideas?? I can go into more detail if necessary.

Thanks,
Tina

[raquel y ana]

Hello Tina
My name is Raquel and I am from Spain. My 6 years old daugther had her spinecor in march-07 (8 months ago). I understand your problem very well. I´ll try to explain you the way she goes to the bathroom although in English it will be a little bit difficult for me.
She loosens the two velcros in the bottom part of the brace (both sides) and then the front part that is in the middle gets "hanging" from the crotch bands. She unsnaps her bodysuit and then holds that anterior part of the brace (and the hanging part of the bodysuit) in her back while going to the bathroom (only with one hand). This way she can put the brace back on just adjusting the velcros. She cannot do de snap and unsnap either because of the toughness. I ask the doctor if this way was ok, just to make sure the brace would be in its place after doing that. He said yes. I´m very happy because this way I don´t have to go whith my daugther to the bathroom every single time.
I hope this is useful for you.
Bye

[beauvais]

That was extremely useful, thanks. I'll check with my Dr. to see if that would be ok, because in the manual it says that you can only unsnap the two bands that go between the legs or the fit won't be right on the lower part of the harnass. Like I said, I'll check with him..

How did she handle things emotionally? You're the first I've heard of a young one like mine going through it.

Thanks,
Tina

[jillw]

Hi, my daughter has been wearing spinecor for a month (basically she started wearing it less than 2 months after she turned 7 years old). Initially my daughter could unsnap the crotch snaps but couldn't snap them back up. Surprisingly quickly she has learned to snap them back which I thought wouldn't happen for a year or more (granted, going to the bathroom takes alot of time now).

Basically, she unsnaps crotch snaps and bodysuit...then she finds a place in her brace to tuck in each of the crotch straps and the "tail" of the bodysuit...this way she doesn't have to worry about holding things or having them get dirty. She still does get some drippage on the leg band even though she tries to sit far back and lean forward to direct the flow away. At this point I told her not to worry and to just wipe it up with toilet paper.

It took her a few days to learn to snap the bodysuit and a few weeks to re-snap the brace. Initially she would go to the nurses office at school if she had to go to the bathroom so that the nurse could help her. I told her we could do that for years if she wanted, but whenever she was home and not in a hurry, she wanted to try and snap it and eventually she got it. Sometimes if she's tired or we're in a hurry, she'll still ask me to do it for her, but for the most part she has it covered. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised about what she can do over time? Although I don't know if my daughter would have been able to do it a full year ago when she had recently turned 6....

She can't put the entire brace on by herself - but who knows maybe she'll surprise me there in a few more months!

By the way, there is a very long thread called "spinecor". There are a surprising number of people posting there who have children in the 5-8 year old range. (I used to feel like my daughter was the only one in the world who had scoliosis this young) I guess when our kids are diagnosed so young, its hard to face the possibility of a decade or more in bracing so we're more likely to look for alternatives.

Good luck!

[raquel y ana]

Hello Tina

Please let me know your doctor´s opinion about this way to put the brace back on. I really was very surprised when mine said that was ok.

By the way I don´t know how I could forget to say that it was my own daugther`s idea to loosen the brace that way. She figured it out herself. I am so proud of her.

Good luck

[arairdon]

Tina,

My daughter began wearing the spinecor brace when she was 6 (a very small 6 year old). She could not do the snaps at first, and she did need to wear it to school right away, so she just unhooked her bodysuit and pushed everything out of the way. I finally got a 2nd set of crotch bands, so I could wash them more often. My daughters curves were also 40s and 30's, but she had been in a boston brace for 5 years prior to changing to spinecor. Could luck with everything.

Ann R.

[beauvais]

Thanks for all of your insight. I have to work with her at a time when she's not feeling so emotional and embarassed about it. The holidays kind of muck everything up as she's going visiting to Grandparents without me and so we're not making much progress on the brace. I'll keep you all posted.

I am getting quite an education - I can really learn from you parents - I'm in awe that some kids are diagnosed as early as 6 months! That sure does add some challenges to those baby years. Good to know I'm not alone dealing with a young one.

Tina

[bettyja27]

My daughter was just diagnosed with Scoliosis two weeks ago.
Has any one tried the Clear Institute? Her curves are 40 top and 25 bottom.

Any information will be great.