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Regular
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Location: northamptonshire, uk | has anyone any experience of plaster jackets. Anna is due to have one put on next week to try and hold back the progression of the scoliosis alittle and protect her lungs. She's had plaster casts on her arms and hands before following hand surgery but at least we knew when those were coming off. The consultant won't tell us how long it's likely to remain on. We know if she outgrows this one or damages it another will be placed on. We have no date for the veptr yet so i suppose they're trying to control it abit with the jacket. We have been given the impression he doesn't think it will work. Any advice?
Annette. |
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Expert
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Location: Utah | Hi Annette,
I've known many infants/young children who have been in plaster casts to support their spine. Most who benefit from casting are children with idiopathic scoliosis. If Anna has congenital malformations of the spine, my gut feeling is that a cast won't help. I'm not even certain it would help support the lungs. Casts are very restrictive and don't let the chest move. How does that help the lungs? I'd be asking the docs lots of questions. Good luck! |
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Regular
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Location: northamptonshire, uk | thanks carmel. The doc's are pretty sure that's it's not idiopathic so we were wondering if it is going to do any good. We really don't want to put her through anything that doesn't even stand a chance of doing anything. They haven't even discussed the pros and cons with us. I'll probably be on the phone tomorrow yet again to them trying to get some answers.
Annette |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 931
Location: Vancouver, Canada | Hi Annette
My little girl (aged 6) went through a series of Plaster Jackets - But she doesn't have congenital scoliosis. As Carmell said - Plaster Jackets and braces don't often work with Congenital cases.
Most of the children I've "met" (well in 'cyberland') that have been placed into Plaster Jackets are from England, I believe they do it routinely there.
I think I missed your intro (we just got back from England), so can I ask how old your little cutie, Anna, is? And what is the degree of her curve(s) at the moment?
Hope you don't mind me being nosy!
Anyhoo, nice to 'meet' you!
Jacki |
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Regular
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Location: northamptonshire, uk | Hi, jacki, thanks for the reply. Anna is 18mnths old. Her curve was measured in August but is growing rapidily. it was 50 degrees then but they haven't measured it since and we know its got musch worse. It went from about 15degrees to the 50 in about 4months! so god only knows what it is now. Her breathing is not as good now and she's struggling to drink in long goes. She seems to struggle with bottles now. I am worried she may have a tethered spinal cord as her vertebre are all okay, she has a sacral dimple at the base of her spine and problems with her legs and feet. We don't know if the problems with her lower half are due to the curve or related to her cord. We know the radial clubbed hands she has can be related to tethered cord, wich then causes the scoliosis. I am going to try and conact the consultant again today. He had made a date for her to go into the jacket for tomorrow but, we are at another hospital about her hands so thankfully we,ve cancelled that one. I've told them I won't allow the jacket to go on until he's spoken to us. It was at this point his secreetary told me I would be looking at waiting till July to see him. God knows what state Anna will be in by then. Sorry this is so long winde I seem to ramble once I get going my mind is constantly somewhere else at moment.
Thanks for the welcome. By the way Anna has a cure of the thoracic spine which is also twisting into her right lung.
Annette |
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| Has Anna had an MRI to check for Tether cord and has that MRI been reviewed by a paediatric neurologist. I would think they should exclude tethered cord first before putting a plaster jacket on as if the cord is tethered the traction in putting on the jacket could be damaging.
I think you are right in wanting to know more answers first. Plaster jackets can reduce the chests ability to expand unless a large chest window is cut. Hope it helps. Don't be rushed into agreeing to something by scare tactics like "do it now or you won't see him till Aug! Can you find someone else or have a private consult? |
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Regular
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Location: northamptonshire, uk | thanks Bert. What you said makes sense to us. We had being researching into it and had read that the jacket could make matters worse if a tetgered cord was the problem. She's never had an MRI or CT sacn to evaluate it. I am trying to get in touch with our Gentisist as she's been fighting our corner for many things. Hopefully she'll get past the doctors secretary and speak to him directly. We,ve also noticed a skin tag on Anna, yet another sign of tethered cord! We've stated that we will not allow the jacket until we've spoken to hi, directly. It's been fight, fight, fight since she was born, I'm sure it's probably the same for everyone. The only thing they did for Anna is an x-ray, after which they told us the vertebre are formed okay, hence another reason to check for tethered cord.
Annette |
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plaster jackets.
