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Abigail is a 16-year-old girl who was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was in middle school. It was during her annual health visit when her spine caught the doctor’s attention. Abigail’s mother, Serena, took her daughter to see an orthopedic specialist at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, where they met with Dr. Kevin Neal and were told that Abigail had scoliosis. Initially, no further actions were taken as the scoliosis wasn’t severe. However, about a year had passed when Abigail started experiencing more pain and her posture worsened. So, they went back to Dr. Neal at Nemours Children’s and Abigail was put into a TLSO brace.  The care team at Nemours played a vital role in Abigail’s treatment. “Mike, in particular, was fabulous,” says Serena. Michael Wright, Director of Prosthetics & Orthotics, ordered and fitted Abigail’s scoliosis brace. “He played his role perfectly, giving Abigail a sense of comfort throughout the […]

Natalie had always been an active teenager with a love for surfing, skiing, and running. She would often spend her weekends hitting the slopes or catching waves at the beach with her friends. Determined, Natalie worked hard to become the best athlete she could to achieve her goals. However, during a routine check-up at her pediatrician’s office, Natalie received some unexpected news. She had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to curve. Her pediatrician referred her to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware to meet with Dr. Suken Shah, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Despite the busy nature of the hospital, Natalie was treated with kindness, patience, and respect. Dr. Shah took the time to talk with her and understand her as a person, not just a patient with a medical condition. He mapped out a care plan for her scoliosis to get her back to her active lifestyle. At […]

Meet these Nemours Children’s patients from Orlando and Delaware with life-threatening diagnoses. Together with their families and the Nemours Federal Affairs Team, our young advocates will meet with members of Congress in Washington, D.C.

When Riley was born, she was diagnosed with a rare bone dysplasia that made her bones irregular in size and shape. As she grew, the dysplasia began to manifest itself in her spine, and she was diagnosed with congenital kyphoscoliosis at just one year old. For the next five years, Riley saw a specialist in Massachusetts and had to wear a brace for over 18 hours a day for six years. When Riley’s family moved to Pennsylvania for a new opportunity, they were referred to the amazing team at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. There, they met with Dr. William Mackenzie, who continued to provide Riley with the best care possible. As time went on, she had to undergo several casts, and implantation of magnetically controlled growing rods. This surgery, a complex procedure performed by both Dr Mackenzie and Dr. Suken Shah, pediatric orthopedic spinal surgeon, was successful to maintain the […]

Discover how Nemours Children’s Health brought together over 100 participants from 36 states to promote healthier childcare settings through outdoor learning environments and increased participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) at their recent virtual convening.

When Riley’s father noticed a slight curvature in her spine, they decided to have it checked by a doctor. They headed to Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville where Dr. Neal diagnosed Riley with scoliosis in the summer of 2015. Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a sideways curvature is found in the spine, causing issues such as back problems and discomfort. When Riley was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 12, her spine curvature was about 25 degrees. Riley went through periods of wearing braces to try and correct the curvature. Unfortunately, the braces weren’t producing the results she had hoped. As she got older, the curvature continued to worsen to about 50 degrees. When she was 14, Riley decided to stop treatment and wait for spinal fusion surgery until she felt ready. By age 18, Riley’s pain grew stronger, and she decided it might be time for the surgery. Riley […]