Congenital Scoliosis

Updated on April 14, 2012
M.S. asks from Troutdale, OR
5 answers

So my little guy will be 12 months on the 27th and he was diagnosed with Scoliosis in Janurary. I am taking back to the ortho tomorrow for a follow up. She is not very informative or forthcoming, so I need some really pointed questions to ask her to find out what I can. But, I am not really sure what to ask. He has been going to a chiropractor/cranial sacral massage since he was about 12 weeks old for torticullis (weak neck muscles). We went today and she got his report from his xrays last time and said that he does not have any anomolies such as fused joints, incomplete joints, or any other issues.(Yippee!!) But, he does have a 34 degree curvature from L2 to T1. Have any of you dealt with this? I know its a long shot because it is rare. I would love some intelligent questions to ask the doctor to pry some info from her. I know I need a doctor that I can talk to, and I will find one, but for now she is who we have. Pediatric orthos are hard to find :(. Thanks mamas!
PS: Bracing doesn't appear to work for the congenital kind from what I have read in my own research.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks for the advice. The doctor today was a lot more communicative, but she still has no idea what is going on. She has ordered an MRI because nothing has changed in the last few months, but there is no reason for the scoliosis either. Wish us luck. Thanks again.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.K.

answers from Appleton on

My dad was the first man in our city to be drafted in the summer of 1941 for WWII so my parents moved up their wedding date 4 months so he could get the marriage deferment. However he had scolisis so bad he was4f. He didn't know he had it until then and he was 21 yr old. I found out I had it when I was in my 40's mine is down by my waist. My daughter has it between her shoulder blades but her hips are uneven and one leg is about an inch shorter than the other on. But she was State Tae Kwon Do champion 2x and on the dance team in middle school and high school and still dances beautifully. We never had to do anything for any of us.

So don't get too worried and do your research. It will probably turn out just fine.
I wish I had a better answer for you I just wanted you to know that while it may seem really bad right now --it might end up being okay.

Good luck and let us know.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Scoliosis is an interesting one, mainly caused by the over-stim or under-stim of cerebral hemispheres causing hemisphericity (imbalance in how each side communicates with each other by way of the corpus collosum and also with the body/muscles).

It's great that you have been doing chiropractic and cranial work since 3 months, but you might want to try a different chiropractor that specializes in neurological issues - chiropractic neurologist. You can find one through this website: http://acnb.org/doctor-locator/ and meet with a couple and see how you feel about whomever you see and then pick one.

The ortho really can't do much but brace and they can't do that until it gets bad enough - so he wasn't forthcoming because he has nothing.

If your little guy doesn't have any malformations of the vertebrae, then I would have to say that the diagnosis is not completely accurate, as with congenital scoliosis, there are malformations of the spine. So, this sounds like it was congenital torticollis that caused idiopathic scoliosis. Also, that area is impacted by the kidneys and vice versa.

Hope that helps!?!?!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Portland on

I have a mild scoliosis between my shoulder blades. It wasn't discovered until I applied for a job in my twenties. Now that I know it's there it explains some of my odd posture things. My right arm is longer in clothes than my left and my head tips to the right, the direction of the scoliosis. The doctors say that I do not need to do anything.

I've heard of children put in a brace for scoliosis. I've also heard of physical therapy being done. I would ask what specifically will this degree of scoliosis do to his posture. I would ask if they recommend treatment and if so what treatment.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.R.

answers from Dallas on

specialists seem to have notoiously poor bedside manners. In my experience, it is best to ask straightfoward questions, that will lead to explanations, such as "At what age will she require surgery? Please explain what the surgery is like. Will her activities be limited? Will her malformation cause her ribs or organs to be changed?" Also, I wouldn't expect that changing doctors will get one that will talk, it seems that specialists are just put together this way, for the most part.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.D.

answers from Portland on

have you heard of spinecor? the bracing is a bit different in that it helps strengthen the weak muscles and give the overworked ones a break. i have not tried it yet. i only have a 19 degree curve and not enough problems to warrant it. http://www.spinecorporation.com/english/index.htm

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions