As a leading pediatric orthopedic specialty hospital, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) has treated thousands of Texas children with scoliosis. In an effort to raise awareness about scoliosis treatment options at TSRHC, physicians, nurses and other medical staff have joined together to host “Staying Ahead of the Curve,†a series of training seminars on scoliosis for school nurses.
“Staying Ahead of the Curve†was initiated as a joint effort between TSRHC’s Orthotics department and staff orthopedists. Since November 2006, the seminars have provided scoliosis training to more than 300 school nurses. TSRHC orthopedists present the importance of addressing scoliosis intervention, assessment and management. Nurses receive instructional materials to help improve assessment and management of cases of scoliosis in their schools, including a scoliosis informational brochure, an interactive CD on scoliosis screening and a scoliometer, a tool that measures curvature of the spine.
“School nurses are key to early detection of scoliosis,†Dr. Karl Rathjen said, TSRHC staff orthopedist. “If we can educate these nurses to recognize spinal deformities, we will have an opportunity to intervene earlier, and subsequently, decrease the likelihood of surgical treatment.â€
About TSRHC:
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the nation’s leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. There is no charge to patient families for treatment at the hospital, and admission is open to Texas children from birth to 18 years of age. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, please call (214) 559-5000 or (800) 421-1121 or visit www.tsrhc.org.
