ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Orthopedics

During a routine scoliosis check in school, Samantha received some alarming news. She was diagnosed with scoliosis and her spine had grown into an S shape. After meeting with multiple doctors and specialists, Samantha’s family decided to come to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware to meet with Dr. Suken Shah, pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Due to the severity of the curve, Dr. Shah determined that a posterior spinal fusion was needed to correct her spine and prevent pain and disability in later life. Samantha was nervous but determined. She continued dancing, her passion, up until the day of her surgery. Her determination continued as she was able to stand within hours of her surgery, and walked the hospital halls the next day thanks to excellent pain management and the Nemours rapid recovery pathway.  She was also thrilled to learn she had grown a couple of Inches! Not sure she would ever dance again, Samantha […]

Contributed by Maria’s dad Shahid. When Maria was 10 months old, we noticed some abnormalities in her chest and back, but we weren’t able to find a hospital or doctor who understood her situation.  She was frequently ill with pneumonia and breathing was painful. Her condition eventually worsened.   When she was 18 months old, we met a doctor in Peshawar, Pakistan who diagnosed Maria with MPS. It was our first time hearing the word MPS (Mucopolysaccharidosis), so we did online research and reached out to other families. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for rare diseases in Pakistan and there was no family to guide us for diagnosis and treatment. I sent Maria’s bio-samples to India, and Germany where they confirmed that she had MPS, but they were unable to determine her type of MPS. So, I sent her samples to the US and a diagnosis with MPS IV was […]

Contributed by Emily’s mom Elizabeth. Emily is an AMAZING little girl! At 5-years-old, she is comfortable telling people she has a disability and that her muscles work differently than theirs do. Emily was born three months early and diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was about a year and a half old. Both Emily and her identical twin sister, Sarah, were delayed in reaching their milestones, but Emily’s delays were more pronounced.  Emily is super determined and does everything she can to keep up with her peers. This requires A LOT of hard work! Emily does about 6-7 hours of therapy a week, a combination of PT, OT, and aqua therapy. Since she was about 3, Emily has received intermittent Botox injections to loosen her muscles and give her some additional flexibility and mobility. For example, she learned to walk with lofstrand crutches within 6 months, a task they rarely teach children her age given […]

In this video, recorded on June 28, 2021, Suken Shah, MD Chief, Spine & Scoliosis Center and Brett Shannon, MD, orthopedic surgeon, discuss and answer questions about scoliosis. Learn more about: When and why your child may need surgery. What surgery is like. Life with spinal fusion surgery. Complications and risks. If you have questions for Dr. Shah and Dr. Shannon, post them in the comments section on Facebook. Q: When a pediatrician first discovers a small curve in a young child, what is the best way to approach the new diagnosis? A: Kids under age 10 are more likely than older kids to need further monitoring, or even sometimes intervention from an orthopedic surgery team. If you detect any asymmetry of the back, or trunk, or shoulders, it’s important to have them come in and see us for a further evaluation. This includes the child’s history and a physical […]

Questions about osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or “brittle bone disease,” are answered by pediatric orthopedics experts at Nemours Children’s Health. Q: When should people with OI get rods in the bones in the legs? A: We view realigning and rodding the bones in the legs, femurs and the tibias as a way to address deformity or bowing that is interfering with each patient’s motor development or causing recurrent fractures. We feel there is no minimum age, this is something that we really do value, continually assessing on an individualized basis to help each patient reach their potential. Q: How would you describe the use of orthotics in patients with OI? A: The word orthotics generally refers to all types of braces or things we put on patients’ arms or legs to help them function better. We use them on a case-by-case basis. Years ago we used to use heavy long leg […]

During this Q&A session, Kathleen Miller-Skomorucha, occupational therapist, and Carrie Sewell Roberts, social worker, answer questions about maximizing the potential of your child with cerebral palsy (CP) by working with your care team to set goals. Carrie is a social worker and mom to a 13-year-old daughter with CP. Throughout this discussion, she shares with us different examples of what has worked for her family, but also a plethora of resources families can use for their own means. When you’re thinking about setting goals for your child’s future, an important first step is to set a framework. For example, there’s a structure called “Person-Centered Future Planning.” She talks about ways families can use resources like the ones below to work with their child and care team to create shared goals. Kathleen is an occupational therapist who treats patients with CP. She shares her unique perspective as a therapist, discussing goals for therapy. It’s important […]