Aaron, an 11-year-old boy with Bruck Syndrome, a type of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, underwent a major leg surgery and completed a three-month rehabilitation process.
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Orthopedics
Meet Dr. Mihir Thacker and Dr. Deepika Thacker
In celebration of Doctors’ Day, we want to highlight the incredible work of two doctors who not only share a passion for the care of children, but also a deep love for each other. Dr. Mihir Thacker and Dr. Deepika Thacker first met while attending Seth Gordhandas Sunderas Medical College in Mumbai, India. “Mihir was 2 years my senior and had a very serious air about him,” says Dr. Deepika Thacker. “He was very focused and always studying. As I got to know him better, I discovered that he had a very fun side as well and a wicked sense of humor! We were friends before we started dating, and to this date, we remain friends in addition to being married. We love playing board games with the family, taking trips and trying new foods together!” Deepika recalls, when they began dating as teenagers, “He would take me out to […]
Nothing If Not Resilient – Kate’s Story
During her senior season of high school wresting, Kate felt something was off. When Kate’s right shoulder dislocated from her socket during a wrestling practice, pain started to occur. Kate dismissed it at first but soon, this pain became persistent during every practice and started to impact her everyday life. Her shoulder constantly dislocated while out on the mat and it held her back from taking good shots against opponents. Kate continued to persist through the pain until she could no longer reach for something or close a car door without discomfort. “When I walked through the halls at school, I felt my shoulder being separated from the socket. It felt loose – that’s the only way I can describe it. It is a scary feeling when you know that your arm is not properly attached to your body, let alone wrestling with it,” says Kate. This injury had a […]
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month: Logan’s Story
During the first trimester of her pregnancy, Christine Miller learned her son, Logan, was diagnosed with congenital cytomegalovirus infection (CCMV). Christine was told that her son was dying in utero and would likely not survive the birth. Since the CCMV diagnosis, the Miller family has been in constant contact with the infectious disease department at Nemours Children’s Health. At 32 weeks pregnant, Christine underwent an emergency C-section and Logan was born, weighing just 3 pounds. Immediately following birth, multiple calcifications were discovered on Logan’s brain. At this time, Logan was also diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Fast forward 18 years, Logan and the Miller family still have a very close relationship with Nemours. In 2021, Logan had his first appointment with Dr. Shrader (Dr. Dabney followed Logan since birth). At first, Dr. Shrader was very pleased with Logan’s movement and progress from his previous hip surgeries. “But after talking with him […]
Personal Trainers and Athletic Trainers: What is the difference?
Personal TrainersPersonal trainers are found in gyms, health clubs, and even online as fitness influencers. Their goal is to help the general public achieve their fitness goals. Their clients can range anywhere from beginners to body builders, and they usually require a fee. Personal trainers are a great resource for cardio exercises, weightlifting techniques, and nutrition advice. There is no degree required to be a personal trainer. However, many have certifications that allow them to evaluate their clients and recommend exercises and nutrition regimens. While personal trainers are a very helpful asset to a person’s health and wellness, their role differs greatly from athletic trainers. Athletic TrainersAthletic trainers can be found in high schools, colleges, orthopedic offices, physical therapy clinics, hospitals, professional sports teams, military sites, and even in corporate and industrial settings. They provide athletes of all ages with preventative services, emergency care, therapeutic interventions, clinical diagnosis, and injury […]
Nationals or Bust — Edris’s Story (In His Own Words)
Gymnastics is my LIFE! I didn’t realize how much gymnastics meant to me until it was taken away. I’ve been competing since I was 7 years old and played many sports until my mother noticed me doing backflips around the house and signed me up for gymnastics. From my first class, I knew gymnastics was the sport for me. I competed at every level, gaining new skills every year. I stayed healthy for 10 years, until November 3, 2020, when I thought my gymnastics career was over. On the floor, I did a layout of a skill I had mastered years ago, but when I landed, I dislocated my knee. Once the swelling subsided, I was told that I needed medial patellofemoral ligament and tibial tubercle osteotomy surgery. I was scheduled for surgery six weeks later, but contracted COVID and pushed the surgery back. Once I had surgery, I started […]
Myah the Fighter
Myah has been a fighter since the day she was born. If two parents each have their own form of skeletal dysplasia, it is possible for their child to inherit both types. This was the case for lovely Myah who carries a diagnosis of both achondroplasia and Kniest dysplasia. Given her complex medical needs, at 5 months of age her parents transferred her inpatient care across the country to Delaware to receive guidance from the Nemours skeletal dysplasia team. She required coordinated multidisciplinary care from multiple specialists over her months-long hospital stay, which was possible given the specialized expertise of Nemours providers. Nemours offers care to individuals with skeletal dysplasia until the age of 35, so during Myah’s admission, her parents Brian and Alana also received multidisciplinary evaluations with the Nemours skeletal dysplasia team. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for Myah and her family, and will be here to support them along the […]
Little League Elbow – Michael’s Story
My name is Michael Shucoski. I’m 12 years old and am starting the 7th grade. I really love baseball and my favorite positions are pitcher and first base. This past spring, I developed a sharp pain in my elbow that would not go away. It was very irritating, and I couldn’t even throw the ball without pain. My mom took me to Nemours Children’s Health, Deptford for treatment, where I met Dr. William Emanuele (Dr. Bill), a sports medicine specialist. After he performed tests and took x-rays, my diagnosis was medial elbow apophysitis, otherwise known as “little league elbow.” It’s an inflammation of the growth plate that occurs in young baseball players from the constant throwing motion. It’s fairly common in pitchers like myself. The treatment was a rehab program consisting of targeted strengthening and stretches as well as six weeks of rest, which meant no throwing, but for me, […]
Quinn’s Scoliosis Journey
“We are so happy with Dr. Khoury and what he’s been able to do for our son. He is an amazing doctor. He always treats everyone with respect. We are excited to continue our scoliosis journey with Dr. Khoury and Nemours.” –Mom to Quinn (age 4) Quinn’s mom first noticed something was wrong with his back when he was just 2 months old. “I could feel a bump on one side of his back,” she explains. “I thought it was lack of muscle tone…I didn’t know that what I was feeling was the rib hump.” When she mentioned this to Quinn’s pediatrician, she diagnosed him with torticollis and Quinn began doing physical therapy. His torticollis eventually got better, but mom knew there was still something wrong with his back. That was because Quinn didn’t sit on his own until around 8 months, and he didn’t crawl until after 9 months. […]
Apifix: A Unique New Scoliosis Treatment Option
Contributed by Kevin Neal, MD, orthopedic surgeon What is the Apifix device that is used to treat scoliosis? The Apifix device has a few different names. It can also be called minimally invasive deformity correction (MID-C) or an “internal brace.” The Apifix device is a rod that is used to straighten scoliosis curves without a major spine fusion. Why do some patients want to avoid spine fusion? A spine fusion is where the vertebral bodies are stabilized so they can’t move, typically with rods and screws. The joints between the vertebrae bones are removed and bone graft is placed to help the vertebral bodies grow together and become solid. Preventing movement of the spine keeps scoliosis curves from getting worse and keeps the spine straight after it has been corrected. Spine fusion is a great operation for many patients with scoliosis. But some patients want to treat their scoliosis without […]
Dancing Perfection- Samantha’s Spine Story
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 […]
An International Search of Hope- Maria’s Story
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 […]
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