13 Has Scoliosis...

E. just came back from the pediatrician. 13 has scoliosis. The nurse at Lindenhurst Middle School noticed it first and recommended we take him to doctor to have it checked out. E. took him last year and they said it looked that way, but standard procedure at his age is to wait and see.

Well another year has passed and the original diagnosis has been confirmed. I went out to emedicine.com to learn a bit more about the condition because it seems to happen indiscriminately. One reassuring thing I learned is that most kids don't need any treatment for the condition; that is, if the spine curvature is less than 20 degrees off center. At 25 degrees, a brace is recommended...good luck getting 13 to wear that. It was struggle to get braces on him. More than 29 degrees and he'll need surgery, which scares the living shit out of me.

Yes, there have been some astounding advances in modern medicine, but anytime invasive surgery is recommended, I worry. I also don't like overdosing kids on antibiotics for every little cold that comes. But I digress; that's for a future post.

E. described the exchange at the pediatrician's office this evening:

Doctor (to 13): Hold your hands in the air, put your knees together and try touch your toes.

13: Okay

Doctor: Oh yeah. He has it. (to 13) You can't bend over straight. (to E.) Has he ever complained of any back pains?

E. : (to Doctor) Not that I remember. (to 13) Does your back ever hurt you?

13: Yeah.

E.: (in an astounded voice) How come you never told me?

13: You never asked.

And so it goes....to quote the ever-enigmatic Linda Ellerbee.

Leave it to my son to find a way to draw humor and a silver lining from this condition. According to 13, it's the reason why he's such a good infielder.