RE: Jonas update Cast #9

[Guest guest]

Hi Hollie,My Noah went cast free for July and August after 4 casts. We have a pool and house at the beach and couldn't imagine his not swimming all summer. We were fortunate that he did not lose any correction even despite not being in brace as much as they recommended because he spent so much time in water.It is a tough decision but I personally was glad we took a break for a lot of reasons and it is our same plan this summer.Good luck,Leigh

From:

hallmark13 <hallmark13@...>;

To:

<infantile scoliosis treatment >;

Subject:

Jonas update Cast #9

Sent:

Tue, Jan 17, 2012 10:53:49 PM

Jonas got cast #9 this morning in SLC. His curve is holding around 30 degrees +/- a few. He has been hovering around 30 degrees in the last 5 casts. The PA suggested we think about giving his back a break for the summer and putting him in a brace for the summer. Jonas is already 3.5 years old. I am very worried about doing this, but I do understand the logic of it. The idea is that if he can hold it in a brace at that curve, then he should be able to live a normal life with a 30 degree curve. This scares me to death! I don't know if I like the idea of taking him out of the cast for the summer and have always said we would press on through.

However, I am 7 months pregnant and the idea of my two boys swimming together this summer is very tempting. I also know that swimming is GREAT for scoliosis so I am thinking that he may get better correction after his muscles strengthen up from swimming.

I know many parents have chosen to switch to a brace during summer months. Jonas has already been through 2 summers in a cast. So my question is: Did your child loose correction by switching to a brace for the summer?

Hollie Mama of

Jonas 3 years old in cast #9 SLC Holding around 30*

Jude due date March 19

[Guest guest]

Hi Hollie,

My daughter Eden turned four earlier this month.

She also got cast #8 a few days before that, and she’s plateaued around

30 degrees too.

Eden did a year of casting, then went into a brace for July, Aug &

Sept last year. Being 3.5yrs old, she didn’t grow much during that

time. Her curve didn’t change while braced. I thought she

grew a lot in cast #7, but her curve wasn’t any different after this one either.

Maybe her growth was development and not physical, but because she’s

acting older, I thought she grew! Who knows…if they took height and

weight measurements, I don’t have them.

Because Jonas is the same age as Eden, and his curve sounds

like it’s doing the same thing, I’d feel comfortable putting him in

a brace for the summer. Eden cried whenever I put the brace back on her, but now that she’s

been casted for more than three months, she tells me she can’t wait to be

back in a brace and that it was much better than the cast. She did get to

go swimming almost every day, so I’m sure that’s a motivation!

BTW – Eden wasn’t fazed by

going back into a cast. She was really matter-of-fact about it. We

will probably brace her again this summer, and then she start casting again in

the fall. I’m afraid we’re in this for the long haul. I

don’t know how long that is and what it will entail (though I’m

almost positive she won’t need surgical intervention), and I also don’t

want to go down that pathway mentally or emotionally. We’ll deal

with it as it comes.

Decide what is best for Jonas and what you

are most comfortable with treatment-wise for him, and best wishes for the last

two months of your pregnancy!

Sherry

Jonas update Cast #9

Jonas got cast #9 this morning in SLC. His curve is

holding around 30 degrees +/- a few. He has been hovering around 30 degrees in

the last 5 casts. The PA suggested we think about giving his back a break for

the summer and putting him in a brace for the summer. Jonas is already 3.5

years old. I am very worried about doing this, but I do understand the logic of

it. The idea is that if he can hold it in a brace at that curve, then he should

be able to live a normal life with a 30 degree curve. This scares me to death!

I don't know if I like the idea of taking him out of the cast for the summer

and have always said we would press on through.

However, I am 7 months pregnant and the idea of my two boys swimming together

this summer is very tempting. I also know that swimming is GREAT for scoliosis

so I am thinking that he may get better correction after his muscles strengthen

up from swimming.

I know many parents have chosen to switch to a brace during summer months.

Jonas has already been through 2 summers in a cast. So my question is: Did your

child loose correction by switching to a brace for the summer?

Hollie Mama of

Jonas 3 years old in cast #9 SLC Holding around 30*

Jude due date March 19