Hi everyone, thanks for reading this. I need a place to share and I’m glade to find this forum.
My 6 ½ year old son just diagnosed with scoliosis last week. He took 3 x-rays to confirm it. The doctor said he has 7 to 8 degree scoliosis which is minor. All we need to do is monitor it and take x-ray every 6 months.
Needless to say I went online and did some research. I am concerned. I feel very bad because I think I manufactured my kid’s scoliosis.
I was a tennis player. I played on the professional tour for a couple of years. I still hit a few balls with my wife and we took our kid to the court with us. At a very young age our kid showed great hand-eye coordination and naturally, I put a tennis racquet in his hands when he’s 2. It started with twice a month for 10 mins then progress when he gets older. He keeps progressing well so when he’s 5 or so, we were playing 3 times a week for up to an hour each. I wasn’t trying to make him the world’s No. 1 but I want him to maximize his potential. He’s doing so well that sometimes he refused to get off the court. My wife keep warning me he’s too young but I didn’t listen. I thought I knew everything about tennis. I'd give him a massage before he goes to bed EVERY time after he played tennis. I’d check his joints, knees, elbows and back. I want to make sure he doesn’t develop tennis elbow or back problem. However, those are all muscle related. I never thought about his bones.
His strokes are text book posture like the ones you saw the pros on TV. He has no back pain or shoulder pain at all. However, he’s hit hundreds and thousands of forehands so his right hand is stronger than his left hand a lot. I think that’s the problem. The right side is pulling (or pushing, I don’t know which is which) and therefore, he has scoliosis.
I felt so bad. If my kid suffers from this, which I think he will, I’ll never forgive myself.
Except blaming myself, I am trying to find ways to help him. I have some questions. Hopefully some of you can give us advice.
1. Is there such a thing as Functional Scoliosis and Fixed Scoliosis? I found some information said Functional Scoliosis is treatable and usually resolves once the cause is addressed. I hope my kid is in this situation
2. Are there any exercises, treatments you know? Maybe point me to the websites?
3. Do you know any good scoliosis doctors for kids in Los Angeles? We live near downtown Los Angeles.
In addition, I am doing the follow with my kid.
First, he’s not going to touch a tennis racquet in the foreseeable future. (I explained to him. I told him it’s not his fault but mine. I told him he’s doing so well that I failed to protect him.)
Second, I help him do some light exercise to strengthen his left side. Like shooting basketball with his left hand.
Third, I give him a 20-30 mins massage on his back to release tension off his muscle every night now.
7 to 8 degree is minor compare to some of the cases I read from this forum but I don’t want to see my kid get worse. I’m planning to take him to see scoliosis specialists and seek professional opinions. I don’t even know if he has a C curve or S curve. His family doctor just said monitors it without giving us much information.
Any suggestions, advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much.
A shameful dad.
My 6 ½ year old son just diagnosed with scoliosis last week. He took 3 x-rays to confirm it. The doctor said he has 7 to 8 degree scoliosis which is minor. All we need to do is monitor it and take x-ray every 6 months.
Needless to say I went online and did some research. I am concerned. I feel very bad because I think I manufactured my kid’s scoliosis.
I was a tennis player. I played on the professional tour for a couple of years. I still hit a few balls with my wife and we took our kid to the court with us. At a very young age our kid showed great hand-eye coordination and naturally, I put a tennis racquet in his hands when he’s 2. It started with twice a month for 10 mins then progress when he gets older. He keeps progressing well so when he’s 5 or so, we were playing 3 times a week for up to an hour each. I wasn’t trying to make him the world’s No. 1 but I want him to maximize his potential. He’s doing so well that sometimes he refused to get off the court. My wife keep warning me he’s too young but I didn’t listen. I thought I knew everything about tennis. I'd give him a massage before he goes to bed EVERY time after he played tennis. I’d check his joints, knees, elbows and back. I want to make sure he doesn’t develop tennis elbow or back problem. However, those are all muscle related. I never thought about his bones.
His strokes are text book posture like the ones you saw the pros on TV. He has no back pain or shoulder pain at all. However, he’s hit hundreds and thousands of forehands so his right hand is stronger than his left hand a lot. I think that’s the problem. The right side is pulling (or pushing, I don’t know which is which) and therefore, he has scoliosis.
I felt so bad. If my kid suffers from this, which I think he will, I’ll never forgive myself.
Except blaming myself, I am trying to find ways to help him. I have some questions. Hopefully some of you can give us advice.
1. Is there such a thing as Functional Scoliosis and Fixed Scoliosis? I found some information said Functional Scoliosis is treatable and usually resolves once the cause is addressed. I hope my kid is in this situation
2. Are there any exercises, treatments you know? Maybe point me to the websites?
3. Do you know any good scoliosis doctors for kids in Los Angeles? We live near downtown Los Angeles.
In addition, I am doing the follow with my kid.
First, he’s not going to touch a tennis racquet in the foreseeable future. (I explained to him. I told him it’s not his fault but mine. I told him he’s doing so well that I failed to protect him.)
Second, I help him do some light exercise to strengthen his left side. Like shooting basketball with his left hand.
Third, I give him a 20-30 mins massage on his back to release tension off his muscle every night now.
7 to 8 degree is minor compare to some of the cases I read from this forum but I don’t want to see my kid get worse. I’m planning to take him to see scoliosis specialists and seek professional opinions. I don’t even know if he has a C curve or S curve. His family doctor just said monitors it without giving us much information.
Any suggestions, advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much.
A shameful dad.
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