Parents may want to download and keep a copy of this review on scoliosis in PWS. The paper comes from Dr. Harold van Bosse, an orthopedic surgeon at Shriner’s Hospital with extensive experience in caring for kids with PWS and scoliosis, and Dr. Merlin Butler, a medical geneticist who has studied genetic and clinical aspects of PWS for decades.
The paper, Clinical Observations and Treatment Approaches for Scoliosis in Prader–Willi Syndrome, is freely available here. It provides a comprehensive review of scoliosis in PWS, including:
- Screening guidelines
- Risk factors
- Treatment options (bracing, casting and surgery)
- Expected outcomes
- Special considerations
- Unresolved questions
- and more.
The paper is written for medical professionals rather than parents, so it is technical, but even those without a medical background will be able to gain some information from it. In addition, it may serve as a useful jumping off point for discussions with primary care doctors about scoliosis problems in PWS and provides guidance on clinical questions such growth hormone use and scoliosis. Overall, it’s a good paper to have on hand for scoliosis questions and discussion.
