Orthopedic recommendations

[Guest guest]

Hi guys!! This is straight from Jenn, and I thought it would be helpful info for

all RSS parents.... I wasn't sure whether all RSS kids need to see an

orthopedist on a regular basis. This is the info she sent me. I filed it away

for future reference.

Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 3 yrs 10 months old, 25#, 34.6 " , G-tube, GHT)

Straight from the doctor's mouth yesterday.

All RSS children with asymmetry should see a pediatric orthopedic surgeon once a

year for a checkup. A baseline spinal xray (for scoliosis) should be taken at

the first visit. Each year, the physician should simply monitor for scoliosis,

and measure the asymmetry difference in length and circumference (typically

legs).

He had me make a simply chart for leg length discrepancy, which tracks the

" proportion " of the leg circumference differences. Since the measurement

differences will always change, we have seen that 's left thigh is always

about 94-95% of the right. Measurement error rate.

RSS children without asymmetry should be followed by their normal pediatrician

or peds endo, who can do the standard " bend " and " walk " exams to simply keep an

eye out for any possibility of scoliosis developing. If the physician spots

anything, the child would then be referred to a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.

If a child is actually diagnosed with scoliosis (which requires a curvature

degree of 10 degrees or greater), then the child should absolutely be seen and

treated by a pediatric orthopedic surgeon who specializes in scoliosis and/or

spinal disorders.

Some of our RSS children will start off with 5 or 8 degrees of curvature --

these kids need to be monitored to ensure that the degree doesn't change. An

annual xray is fine. Once the curvature is over 12 degrees, then they xray

every 6 months, I believe.