Speaking of Scoliosis and Spine
Savannah, Shriners Children's patient, with her brace
Are you wondering about your child's spine health or spine condition? Shriners Children's Chicago physicians and clinicians offer a podcast series all about spine and scoliosis care.
The Shriners Children's healthcare system offers a full spectrum of pediatric spine services and care. These range from non-surgical serial casting for infantile scoliosis, scoliosis specific exercise therapy and halo traction, to the most advanced surgical treatment such as the MAGEC System for guided growth of the spine, vertebral body tethering for appropriate patients, and spinal fusion.
Pediatric spine care can require a number of different services offered in one location at Shriners Children’s. These services can include X-rays with our low-dose radiology, motion analysis, bracing and casting. We also offer physical therapy and occupational therapy.
You can listen on our website (see links below). Or listen on your favorite podcast platform, searching for "Pediatric Specialty Care Spotlight."
Spine Podcast Episodes
General Information About Scoliosis in Children
This podcast episode features Purnendu Gupta, M.D. Dr. Gupta is chief of staff and a pediatric spine surgeon at Shriners Children's Chicago. He is experienced in treating scoliosis in children of all ages using the latest surgical and non-surgical techniques. In this podcast, he discusses the basics of scoliosis in children and how our team approach brings specialists together to evaluate and treat spinal curves in children of all ages.
Episode: Understanding Scoliosis in Children
Infantile and Juvenile Treatments
Scoliosis in infants and children younger than 3 is called infantile scoliosis or infantile idiopathic scoliosis. Juvenile scoliosis refers to children ages 4 to 10 with an S-shaped spine curve. Shriners Children's specializes in treating these younger patients. and we have some insights in several podcasts.
Some patients will be treated with serial casting in a non-removable cast worn for weeks at a time. In this podcast, Dr. Gupta discusses the extensive spine care at Shriners Children’s and the serial casting process, known as mehta cotrel, for infantile scoliosis.
Episode: Infantile Scoliosis Mehta Cotrel Casting
When your child is fitted with a spine brace for any type of scoliosis, parents want to know what to expect and how to support their child. John Ghazi, M.D., and Bill Craggs, certified prosthetist, discuss spine braces for children.
Episode: Spine Brace for a Child
Parents may have questions about serial casting or another more advanced treatment known as halo traction. Michal Szczodry, M.D., is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Shriners Children's Chicago. He discusses some common questions parents ask and explains both treatments in more detail.
Spinal Fusion
Sometimes patients with progressing scoliosis will need spinal fusion surgery. This can be done through the back (posterior) or front (anterior). We asked Chloe, a spinal fusion patient, to talk about her experience. We also hear from a physical therapist who specializes in scoliosis-specific exercises, and spine surgeon Dr. Gupta.
Episode: Chloe and Spinal Fusion Surgery
Chloe, Shriners Children's Chicago patient, with her before and after X-rays
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