Kids Health Matters
Topic: Spine and Scoliosis

"It was definitely a shock. I almost didn’t believe it at first. I’m a competitive athlete; I’d never really been hurt or sick in my entire life. I didn’t even know what scoliosis was." - Avery Wright

Gillette expert Danielle Harding, PA-C breaks down five things to know if you or a loved one have been diagnosed with this common spine condition.

Kristin Smith, CO, is the lead orthotist of the OPS spinal orthotics team, and has worked at Gillette for nearly 20 years. When it comes to scoliosis, her relationship with the condition is both professional, as well as deeply personal. Read our conversation with Kristin below.

Taylor’s a nationally ranked, competitive barrel racer. To watch her ride is a study of grace in motion. She makes it look effortless. When you stop to consider that she’s doing all of it while dealing with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS), it becomes even more impressive.

This is not the summer Kyra Condie, 24, was supposed to have. Just a few months from now, Kyra was supposed to be in Tokyo, competing as a climber in the Summer Olympics.It would’ve been the first time climbing was featured as an event in the Olympics and for her, a tremendous personal achievement. A milestone she’s been working towards her whole life.

"I realized, for the first time, that I was shooting straight. Due to my scoliosis, I'd been overcompensating." Erika, a basketball player, gained confidence after surgery to correct her spinal curvature.

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare is expanding its options for treating scoliosis. We now offer the Schroth Method-based treatment for scoliosis at our St. Paul campus and at our Minnetonka, MN location. Find out how this physical therapy-based treatment for scoliosis, combined with dedication and persistence, is helping teen patients.

Charlie Schultz is a longtime Gillette patient, athlete, and most importantly, a dog lover. Learn how Charlie's love of dogs blossomed (and led to him becoming a dog owner!) during his seven-week inpatient stay to treat his severe spinal curvature, called kyphosis.

Back pain is more common in children than one might expect. In fact, by age 15, 30-50 percent of all children have had at least one episode of back pain! At Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, our team of internationally-recognized orthopedic experts work closely with many pediatric patients each year, helping them identify and treat their unexplained back pain.

We are celebrating Spine Awareness Month with resources to help you get all the information you need on scoliosis and #KidsSpineHealth! 

The Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation awarded Gillette a generous grant to help expand Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare’s spine program. This is the largest grant we’ve ever received.

Owen Earl can now swim and be active thanks to surgery at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare to help with a curvature in his back due to scoliosis. Gillette performs 80% of spinal fusion procedures in Minnesota and 65% of spine fusions to correct scoliosis.

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare is kicking off June as Scoliosis Awareness Month by launching a new Scoliosis Resource Group on Facebook.

Everyone knows at least one iconic duo. There are Batman and Robin, Mario and Luigi, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, and by the time you’re done reading, you’ll add another to the list: Josh and Tyler Lindgren.

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare is playing a key role in the clinical trials and research into the drug Spinraza, also called nusinersen.The drug is being celebrated as the first real hope for people who have spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Beauty and imperfection aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s our differences that make us beautiful and irreplicable individuals. See how Alexis, a talented dancer who has scoliosis, recently celebrated the successful end to her treatment.

Joshua, a 10-year-old who has congenital scoliosis, dreamed of one day riding a bike. Learn about the groundbreaking surgery that straightened his severely curved spine, improving his independence and giving him the opportunity for a full childhood.

When a routine X-Ray revealed that Donovan's scoliosis had worsened to a severe 94 degrees, he underwent a life-saving surgery to straighten his spine. See why Donovan is living up to his name, which means "courageous."

Javier loves spending his summers in Alaska with his mom. But until recently, his family feared those visits might end. Learn how new technology is helping Javier continue his favorite summertime tradition.