Dedicated to Helping Children

A pediatric orthopedic surgeon is a specialized doctor who has chosen to make the care of children and their bones – from infancy through the teenage years – the focus of his/her medical practice. Some conditions he/she can treat are the following:

• Limb and spine deformities noted at birth or later in life (such as clubfoot, scoliosis and limb length differences, to name a few)
• Gait abnormalities (limping)
• Bone and joint infections or tumors
• Broken bones.

Why do I need a pediatric orthopedic specialist?

Children are not just small adults. Your growing bones are living tissues that change continuously and pose different challenges than those of adults. Adopting healthy nutritional and lifestyle habits are important choices to build healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis and fragility fractures later in life. The healthy habits that you adopt during your childhood and adolescence can literally make your bones stronger as you age. Some common pediatric problems don’t occur in adults, and what looks like a problem in a child may be just a variation that you will outgrow over time.

Nevertheless, some other bone disorders need an accurate orthopedic specialist’s evaluation and may require bracing or surgical intervention. Some bone disorders can be inherited, or caused by injuries, infections, poor blood supply or tumors. They can cause painless bone deformities and affect your ability to walk and use the limb.

Treatments depend on the disorder but often surgery may help, as it can put back in the right place your displaced bones before the cast, the splint or brace is put on. The orthopedic surgical procedure is called reduction which means “setting the bone”.

Pediatric orthopedic surgeons, their supporting staff and their offices are all well equipped to deal with you and your family, in order to share the problem, decide the best treatment strategy and offer you a comfortable, patient-focused and family-friendly environment.

Questions to ask your pediatric orthopedic doctor:

• Does my condition require a doctor with specialty training?
• May I need some professional counseling to go through the treatment?
• Is it safe for me to exercise, run and jump?
• Is it safe for me to swim?
• How long should I rest during the day?
• Is there anything that I should avoid doing?
• Will this condition cause me any long-term problems?
• What can I do to facilitate my bone’s healing process?
• How can I talk about the treatment with teachers and friends?
• Should I take calcium supplements?
• Does a steroid medication for asthma affect my bone’s healing process?
• How long will the treatment last?
• Are there any tools to help me understand the treatment?