Back pain occurs in about a third of patients at some point in their adolescence and is fairly common in children over the age of 10. Very rarely, however, is it the result of a structural issue such as a disc condition or nerve irritation, according to Joshua W. Meier, M.D, pediatric orthopedic surgeon with…
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the dystrophin protein. In the absence of dystrophin, skeletal muscle fibers rupture and atrophy over time leading to progressive weakness, respiratory muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy. Loss of ambulation typically occurs early in the first decade of life without treatment. Orthopedic treatments may…
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of connective tissue disorders affecting every organ system. The 2017 classification of the syndrome includes 13 subtypes of the condition, though more forms may exist and are rare and not well characterized. The subtypes vary in severity, from slightly loose joints to life-threatening complications. Norton Children’s Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Clinic…
Early onset scoliosis is very different from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis — almost the opposite in many respects, according to Joshua W. Meier, M.D., pediatric orthopedic surgeon with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis doesn’t develop until after age 10 or so. “Usually, these kids that you…
Bracing can significantly decrease the progression of idiopathic adolescent scoliosis and can prevent the need for surgery in teenage patients who wear the brace for 16 to 18 hours a day, according to an orthopedic surgeon at Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. “Bracing is appropriate if the scoliosis…
On the third Wednesday of each month, a team of specialists from across Norton Children’s come together to provide multidisciplinary care to kids with spina bifida (SB). Since 2016, the Norton Children’s Spina Bifida Clinic — in coordination with the Kentucky Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs — has provided a care model…
A new multidisciplinary cerebral palsy clinic for children who need a higher level of care has opened in the Novak Center for Children’s Health in downtown Louisville. The clinic aims to streamline care, make appointments easier for families and improve outcomes. “Multidisciplinary clinics allow one patient to be seen by multiple doctors instead of the…
Prenatal ultrasound increasingly is yielding reliable clubfoot diagnoses, giving parents a chance to prepare themselves and understand the condition. Still, there’s no replacement for a hands-on exam by a pediatrician. Idiopathic clubfoot is the most common type of clubfoot, with the other two being positional and syndromic. Clubfoot is an anomaly characterized by the sole…
Here are six videos explaining pediatric casting techniques with pediatric orthopedists Jennifer M. Brey, M.D., and Laura K. Jacks, M.D., of Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. Basic forearm casting technique Basic upper extremity splinting technique How to splint an ankle Sugar tong splint How to place a short…
Clubfoot, sometimes referred to as club leg, affects roughly 1 out of 1,000 births. Clubfoot involves four primary deformities (midfoot cavus, forefoot adduction, hindfoot varus, and equinus contracture) that result in the ankle being stuck downward, the foot being turned inward or often pointing toward the other foot and hooked onto itself. In about 50%…
Children with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), muscular dystrophy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease can be at risk for hip dislocation. Varus derotation osteotomy (VDRO) surgery places the ball back into the socket of the hip. The procedure helps prevent a partial or full hip dislocation. Hip subluxation can result…
The recent “Updates in Pediatrics: Common Sports Injuries” continuing medical education (CME) opportunity is now available on demand. Joshua W. Meier, M.D., pediatric orthopedic specialist with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, presented on common sports injuries in pediatric patients. Topics included diagnostic protocols of common sports injuries and…