At this time, our phone lines are open from 8AM to 7PM Monday through Thursday, 8AM to 5PM on Friday, and 8AM until noon on Saturday. Outside of those times, our answering & advice nurse services take over.  The office will be open on both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve -- but may close early if volume is light.

Scoliosis is an S-shaped deformity of the spine. By far, the most common kind is called "idiopathic" (doctors don't know why it happens). This type classically affects girls around middle school age. A few children are born with it; children with cerebral palsy have a very heightened risk.

If detected early, this painless condition can be treated with a brace. If that window is missed, major league surgery is the only current option. Pediatricians carefully screen at risk patients with a scoliometer (similar to a carpenter's level as shown here). Some schools have the nurse screen kids as well.

 

Do you have a daughter at risk? Has it been a while since her last check up? Or do you have a child that has already been diagnosed with scoliosis and you want a keep a close eye on it? You could buy a scoliometer, but for $4.99, you could turn your iPhone or better yet, iPad) into a scoliometer with a new app. We've tried it, compared it with our office scoliometer, and give it a thumbs up.

In future newsletters, we'll discuss hearing and vision apps that may be of interest.