Pediatric orthopedists in Louisville are seeing more children who are injured from falls on skateboards, hoverboards and other ride-on toys. “Some parents may wonder if skateboards or hoverboards are safe for children, and if families choose to buy them, they need to take precautions to help minimize the risk for injuries,” said Laura K. Jacks,…
The pediatric orthopedic specialists at Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville have started using an extremely low-radiation system for collecting high-quality 2D and 3D images. The low-radiation feature of the technology is especially attractive for children who may need multiple images over the years to monitor scoliosis. If surgery is required, the system provides detailed tools…
In October 2009, Clayton Fackler was “a pretty typical 3-year-old,” according to his mother, Susan Fackler. The family was outside playing when Clayton suddenly collapsed, going into cardiac arrest. From there, Clayton would begin a health journey that would include a brain injury that has caused a number of issues, including spasticity. Sudden collapse leads…
There are many benefits to kids participating in sports, from confidence-building and physical health to boosting social skills and problem-solving ability. However, there are risks of sport-dependent injury in growing children. Sport-dependent injury There are patterns to the kinds of injury that vary from sport to sport. Soccer players may have knee and ankle problems….
Tests to diagnose muscular dystrophy generally look for genes associated with inherited muscle diseases and include measures of muscle strength and neurological tests along with other examinations to rule out other causes of symptoms. Before any complex tests are conducted, your pediatrician or specialist physician will ask about your child’s symptoms and whether any other…
Growing rods and a new, less invasive technique — magnetic rods — offer surgical alternatives for children with early onset scoliosis who don’t respond well to casting and whose curve is likely to get worse as they grow, according to a pediatric orthopedist at Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville. Growing rods are placed inside the…
Rolando M. Puno, M.D., spine specialist with the Norton Children’s Spina Bifida Clinic and Norton Leatherman Spine, likes solving difficult challenges. Patients from around the world have come to Dr. Puno for surgery and treatment of their complex spinal conditions. “It’s kind of my nature, I guess,” Dr. Puno said. “If I see an issue,…
Like a lot of future orthopedic surgeons, Joshua W. Meier, M.D., liked to build things growing up. What got him interested in becoming a surgeon wasn’t making model planes out of balsa wood or helping his father with home improvement projects, but a video game a friend let him borrow in high school. Set in…
As a medical student, Kimberly S. Huhmann, M.D., was interested in both pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology. It was during her residency that Dr. Huhmann started considering combining her interests as a pediatric and adolescent gynecology specialist. “It’s the perfect meld of patient care that’s both surgical and procedural, and has continuity,” Dr. Huhmann said. “I love…
On Christmas morning, 2 year-old Mila Naik woke up without her clubfoot brace. She was not happy with her mom, Devin, who in the midst of Christmas Eve merriment, thought it best for Mila to have a clubfoot-treatment-free night’s sleep. “She woke me up Christmas Day and said, ‘Mom, where are my boots?’ She let…
Clubfoot, sometimes known as club leg, affects roughly 1 out of 1,000 newborns. Clubfoot treatment, including the Ponseti method, can begin soon after birth. Treatment with a pediatric orthopedist can give children with clubfoot the opportunity to have nearly 100% effective correction on their affected feet. What is clubfoot? Clubfoot is a condition present at…
Young athletes coming off a long layoff too quickly can put themselves at risk for injury. There are steps kids can take to lessen their chances of injury as they return to previous activity levels. Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville Young athletes have their own unique needs, as do their bones and muscles. Call (502)…