Why Not Zero

[Guest guest]

Dr. Sturm seems to believe that Dylan will only need a few casts and then we can

move to bracing. Things he has said in the past lead me to believe that he

isn't necessarily aiming for a zero degree curve with the casting, but more

along the lines of something in the single digits. I have also seen on this

board that many people began bracing when their child's curve was 9 degrees, 5

degrees, etc. I am wondering what the reason is for not trying one more cast

and see if they can get to zero? Is there a risk of causing more harm than good

at that point? Is it just that the curve is so low at that point it's not worth

the risk of anesthesia and putting the child through one more cast? How long do

the chilrdren typically remain in the brace assuming there is no change in the

curve while in brace?

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[Guest guest]

In my understanding, any curve under 10* isn't even considered scoliosis.

If we look at where most of us begun...a single digit number is almost

nothing. These low curves won't cause any harm to our children either w/their

lungs, heart, and just even looking at them, we won't notice a curve. I can of

course look at Evan and I still see some asymmetry,but his doctor told me,

That's just Evan.

Miss Mehta told us a minimum of a year in the POP jacket and a minimum of a

year in a brace...we don't want our kids out too soon and be left alone to grow

w/o support. As long as they tolerate it w/o any issues, the better. There is a

point and time when they do need to see how their body reacts/if the curve

progresses any w/o the support of the brace for maintenance. We will cross that

bridge in March, Evan will have worn his brace a year.

HTH

and Evan

Dolley wrote:

Dr. Sturm seems to believe that Dylan will only need a few casts and

then we can move to bracing. Things he has said in the past lead me to believe

that he isn't necessarily aiming for a zero degree curve with the casting, but

more along the lines of something in the single digits. I have also seen on this

board that many people began bracing when their child's curve was 9 degrees, 5

degrees, etc. I am wondering what the reason is for not trying one more cast and

see if they can get to zero? Is there a risk of causing more harm than good at

that point? Is it just that the curve is so low at that point it's not worth the

risk of anesthesia and putting the child through one more cast? How long do the

chilrdren typically remain in the brace assuming there is no change in the curve

while in brace?

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[Guest guest]

Hello,

I've also been told that curves under 10* are no longer scoliosis.

My son may be going into a brace in a couple of weeks after 9 months

of casting. His curve is currently somewhere between 10-14*. Dr

D'Astous said he is showing " no rotation " in this cast. When I

asked why he thought Noah would be ready for a brace in Feb. vs.

doing another cast he said because there's no rotation. Perhaps

once a curve is in the single digits the rotation is so slight that

the benefits of bracing and casting are the same? I plan on asking

more questions when we are there so that I understand the decision

when it's made.

~

> Dr. Sturm seems to believe that Dylan will only need a

few casts and then we can move to bracing. Things he has said in the

past lead me to believe that he isn't necessarily aiming for a zero

degree curve with the casting, but more along the lines of something

in the single digits. I have also seen on this board that many

people began bracing when their child's curve was 9 degrees, 5

degrees, etc. I am wondering what the reason is for not trying one

more cast and see if they can get to zero? Is there a risk of

causing more harm than good at that point? Is it just that the curve

is so low at that point it's not worth the risk of anesthesia and

putting the child through one more cast? How long do the chilrdren

typically remain in the brace assuming there is no change in the

curve while in brace?

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________________

> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.

> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

>

>

[Guest guest]

-

When Lexi came out of her casts and went into bracing I was literally hell

bent on getting her spine to zero. After she began in the brace I learned

through her orthotist that a zero spine is not always a necessary goal. Needless

to say I was very argumentative about that point with him. As Lexi began getting

correction in the brace I saw her xray where she measured 22 degrees. Her

orthotist had me look at her clinically...standing in front of me front and back

views. She looked straight(er). Her hips were balanced, her shoulder blades were

balanced as well as her shoulders. Sometimes a person is more balanced with a

slight curve. That is why it is so important to look at the child as a whole and

not just a number or an xray film. Lexi is now to a 5 degree curve and she is

balanced and symmetrical. Like I said, even at 22 degrees she was symmetrical

and well balanced. Come to find out in speaking to my personal chiropractor,

there are alot of people out there who have some degree of curvature in their

spine and have never known it. I have a 9 degree curve in mine at 35 years old

and didn't know this until a year and a half ago when I had a film taken due to

some lower back pain. Zero doesn't always have to be the final outcome if

clinically a child is well balanced and stable. Our orthotist's daughter who is

now in her 20's went through scoliosis as an infant and she actually has 3 very

small curves....something like an 8,5 and 6 degree curves, but she is balanced,

symmetrical and fine. The thing also is that in Lexi's second brace, we actually

over corrected a bit and her curve started the opposite direction. Her brace was

immediately adjusted and we got her back where we needed. So, perhaps in trying

for too much correction we kicked ourselves. Lexi has a 5 degree curve and we

more than likely will get no more correction. Anything under 10 is not

considered a substantial curve. The only reason she still remains in a brace is

by our choice...she still has a lot of flexibility in her spine. Of course we

are down to about 10 hours a day in brace, but I am not willing to take a chance

of going cold turkey with a flexible spine and alot of growth ahead of us and

have it backslide.

Tracey

Why Not Zero

Dr. Sturm seems to believe that Dylan will only need a few casts and then we

can move to bracing. Things he has said in the past lead me to believe that he

isn't necessarily aiming for a zero degree curve with the casting, but more

along the lines of something in the single digits. I have also seen on this

board that many people began bracing when their child's curve was 9 degrees, 5

degrees, etc. I am wondering what the reason is for not trying one more cast and

see if they can get to zero? Is there a risk of causing more harm than good at

that point? Is it just that the curve is so low at that point it's not worth the

risk of anesthesia and putting the child through one more cast? How long do the

chilrdren typically remain in the brace assuming there is no change in the curve

while in brace?

__________________________________________________________

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http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs