To ask if you can decipher this GP's writing?

[TVname]

I'd like to know what the doctor wrote on this x-ray request form, as he had us back out the door before I really knew what was going on and I've now got an unexpected visit to the hospital in the morning with DS.

Kyphoscoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine in two directions).

Haha just seen nocoolnames left has beaten me to it. I’m a doctor (thankfully not a GP or a radiologist thought so don’t have to translate heiroglyphics much anymore as it’s all computerised where I am)

I was just about to wonder aloud that any of these chits are still hand written @Jeezypeepers

I'm a radiographer, that say 6 week history of pain, movement seems fine, possible child kyphoscoliosis. ? Evidence of bony pathology.

Kypho relates to curving of spine forward. Scoliosis relates to curving side to side like an s shape.

Double cross post! (I was a radiographer so have spent half my life deciphering stuff like this!)

? mild kyphosis scolosis ?bony myopathy.

Kyphosis and scoliosis are names for types of variation in the spinal curve - they can be due to bone malformations or variations in muscle tone. The sort of things are a slight rounding or twisting of his back - DD2's scolosis was first hinted at by one shoulderblade sticking out like a wing, rather than flat and, as she got older, a distinctly narrower waist on one side than the other.

Seems reasonable to check if his back is hurting and there's a possible hint of his back not being entirely straight.

6 weeks history of pain. Movement seems fine. Possible mild kyphoscoliosis. ? Evidence lacks pathology.

You’ve been a possible hippo for 6 weeks. HTH

This is why we have pretty much replaced hand written requests with electronic where I work. Too much time wasted trying to figure out hand writing and forms not being completed properly.

What this illustrates is how hcps should be more careful when writing forms, notes and instructions.

We have had cases where wrong areas have been xrayed due to different opinions on legibility of words. You do get to know doctors writing, the last thing I did today was set one of my juniors on the right path as she had misread a form due to handwriting and wouldn't have completed all the images as requested but I was familiar with the writing.

v bad practice of Dr!

Possible mild kyphoscoliosis?

Thank you for the additional info too, will see what happens tomorrow.

I'm just gobsmacked at all the people who think that's bad for a doctor's handwriting. Way easier than some of my colleagues...though it's an awful lot easier when you know what the words might say.

Took me straight back to dealing with unintelligible dictation, having to search the records and decipher the information they needed to put down from the various hieroglyphs in there. One of the advantage of medical secretaries, rather than farming the typing out to Mumbai, as you get to know your consultants' accents, pet phrases and scribbles.

Though I always teach my juniors that the actual test (where not requested electronically) must be in block capitals, like a prescription chart.

“6/52 [shorthand for 6 weeks] of pain. Movement seems ok. Possible mild Kyphoscoliosis” not sure about this last word - could be a h or k - kyphoscoliosis means the spine isn’t exactly straight - is it a back problem?

Then a question, “[is there] evidence of any pathology?”

I wouldn’t be too worried about the spine thing (if that’s what it says) as the doctor doesn’t too sure about it.

Oh good grief look what happens when you get up to a grizzly child before pressing "post"! Sorry OP. Seems I'm exceptionally late with my suggestion. Hope everything is OK.

Ah I see a bunch of replies have come in whilst I was writing mine. Yes, “bony” is probably right.

Apologies on behalf of my profession. I think stereotypical bad handwriting is from having to write a lot in quite a short space of time. With better working patterns and use of IT I think it’s getting better with younger doctors, but it will be some time before this stereotype disappears I’m afraid!

Hope all is well OP.

And this is why I’m not overly concerned when school say DD9’s handwriting needs a lot of improvement. As a nurse trying to decipher doctors handwriting every shift I know it isn’t a measure of intelligence. I can at least read DD’s.

I agree sleepylittlebunnies the whole kinetic letters and handwriting practice that my dc have been doing really annoyed me.

Yes it's important to write but so much time doing writing practice would have been much better spent doing interesting learning. Every parents evening i used to say but surely the content is more important than the way it looks.

Just another symptom of the current government idea of taking primary education back to some mythical 1940s ideal bee in my bonnet sorry to hijack thread op!

We now type our xray referrals and don't even need to give them to the patient as they go online but that is bad writing. My writing has deteriorated as a GP but because I type all the time so can't write quickly anymore. I used to have the neatest writing of all my colleagues.

Others have deciphered. I'm just here to say I hope it goes well for your son.

I'm the same, @musicaltheatremum - I'm a GP and my writing is appalling because I type everything. Except for blood forms, which for some reason are still handwritten in the rural Midlands. Apparently we're getting ICE soon. I'm very excited. Had it at my training practice and it made life much easier.

I work in a pharmacy and have a huge bug bear with some doctor's handwriting. The worst offenders are usually OOH locums, so other than their scrawl, there is no clear way of telling who the prescriber was (the prescription is usually just stamped OOH at the bottom), which makes it very difficult to try and get hold of the doctor if you need to clarify something or have it changed.
It is REALLY important that a pharmacy knows EXACTLY what you want to prescribe and HOW the patient is to take it.

Thank you for your help everyone, x-ray didn't happen as doctor said due to his age DS should see a paediatric doctor first so will now be referred.