DS1 Scoliosis Diagnosis Age 15

[TooMuchJD]

Have seen consultant for 1st time today and had x-rays. Only two options discussed were leave it as is and likelihood is that it will get worse as he continues to grow (already has distortion of his right shoulder and a pronounced tilt in his hips - not as visible when clothed and doesn't bother him at the moment apart from pain in his shoulder) or surgery at some point in the near future (unclear as to when this is likely to be). He's been booked in for a review in 6 months and an MRI scan in the next 12 weeks.

Have read about bracing etc. with mixed outcomes but this was not even mentioned. Very worried as he has already had several major surgeries for another medical condition in the last few years and has been prone to post-op antibiotic resistant infections.

Has anyone else been though this is their DC?

I haven't been through it with my own DC but my best friend growing up had scoliosis. She was diagnosed earlier than your ds and had surgery when we were 10. She did wear a brace in the lead up to surgery and afterwards. She had rods put in and they were extended every few months.

I will be honest and say she had some complications due to the surgery and needed more surgery while we were teenagers. We're in our mid-thirties now and she has had to have surgery twice as an adult. She doesn't regret the initial surgery at all and it has made her life much easier and decreased pain considerably but she did have some difficult extended recoveries and a few infections.

She is happily married, works in quite a physical job and is well.

TooMuch just wanted to say hi, as I've realised, just today, that DS age 13 has it. He had a growth spurt recently and instead of growing up, his spine's slight bump has massively increased.

If you search scoliosis on MN there are a few threads, one of which discusses surgery in depth and it's so reassuring. Lots of people on it who had the surgery and never looked back. They grew literally in inches as well as in confidence, and their pain reduced. If DS is offered it, I hope he'd go for it, as everything I've read about the braces suggests they do very little.

My DD 18 was diagnosed at 14 with a double scoliosis (S curve). No treatment other than physio to help distribute muscle growth evenly around her spine. Now 18, she was offered surgery last year as she has stopped growing now and her S curve is uneven so she is bent over at the hip. However she has chosen not to go down that route because she would lose all flexibility. She intends to manage with physio, exercise and taking care. They have said she can always opt for surgery when she is older.