Educational Resources

We would like to welcome you and thank you for selecting Columbia Doctors Division of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery to care for your child. We understand your child's individual developmental needs and take a holistic approach to care. MSCHONY offers a multidisciplinary approach, which includes collaboration between nationally recognized pediatric physicians from every subspecialty. You will encounter pediatric specific providers throughout your stay including our Pediatric Spine ICU Intensivists, Anesthesiologists/Pain Service, Physical and Occupational Therapists, Child Life Specialists, and Nursing staff. Our team treats hundreds of surgical spine patients every year and that expertise leads to improved patient outcomes, like having one of the lowest infection rates in the country.

It is our hope that this book will answer many of your questions about Neuromuscular Scoliosis and assist you in preparing for your child’s surgery. We encourage you to read and refer to it throughout your time with us as it contains information useful during the preoperative planning, hospitalization and recovery stages.

Scoliosis can be a frightening diagnosis. You will have many questions about treatments and care. We have designed this Non-operative Spine & Scoliosis Care book to provide you with information about scoliosis in general and non-operative options that are available at Columbia.

At Columbia Orthopedics, a group of scoliosis experts work hand-in-hand with families to create a care plan specifically suited for each patient. This is made possible by the combination of the most up-to-date, safest, and effective treatment options, and the support and advice of our spine specialists.

Columbia Orthopedics is dedicated to providing sensitive, age-appropriate care to children and their families throughout their scoliosis journey. We understand that the emotional impact of scoliosis can be as intense as the physical demands, and we are here to support you.

An indispensable resource for spine surgery professionals at all levels of experience, Safety in Spine Surgery: Transforming Patient Care and Optimizing Outcomes addresses today’s key issues in this complex field. Editor, Michael Vitale, MD, Chief Quality Officer in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, leads an outstanding team of spine surgeons and other healthcare professionals who provide clear guidance in improving the care and safety of adult and pediatric patients undergoing surgery for disorders of the spine.

Scoliosis Tracker is a unique app designed to allow you to measure, record and track childhood scoliosis in your children and/or patients as well as provide appointment reminders, educational content and a lot more!

Digital Scoliometer to accurately measure spine rotation and screen for the need for Xray
Ability to track and record patient growth as well as curve progression over time
Patient checklist to track compliance with conservative scoliosis care (eg bracing, Vit D and Physical therapy)
Rich educational content regarding all aspects of paediatric scoliosis
And more

Filled with pearls and wisdom from experts in the field, Staying Out of Trouble in Pediatric Orthopaedics, 2nd Edition, is a concise, easy-to-read guide to managing difficult orthopaedic problems in children. This high-yield, highly illustrated reference provides practical advice on how to deal with commonly seen issues as well as those that are less common but that pose grave threats to the patient. Focusing on preventing problems and avoiding serious complications and prepared by editors, authors, and gurus with more than 1000 years of combined experience in pediatric orthopaedics, this title is an invaluable resource for pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellows and all orthopaedists who care for children.

Unsustainable healthcare costs and sophisticated predictive modeling based on large-scale medical data is rapidly changing models of healthcare delivery. The shift towards a value-based, consumer-driven industry has created an urgent need for validated tools to increase cost efficiency, reduce rates of adverse events, and improve patient outcomes. Value-based approaches to spine care will be presented, highlighting models for the future. These approaches stress cost effectiveness and sustainable approaches to spinal disease, where quality and safety are paramount.

This book contains information that will help guide and prepare you for your child’s upcoming spine surgery. Your primary care provider and any other doctors that care for your child may also be interested in some of this material, so feel free to share it with them.

Our spine service here at New York-Presbyterian/ Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital (MSCHONY) is one of the top programs in the country. Our clinical and academic expertise are second to none. We have a broad experience taking care of children with spinal deformities ranging from the otherwise well teenager with idiopathic scoliosis to the medically complicated child with underlying neuromuscular problems. We have used this experience to develop best practice guidelines, many of which are used nationally, that help us deliver the safest and best experience for you and your child.

MSCHONY is the major children’s hospital in the tri-state area and offers a multidisciplinary approach to care. Your child will benefit from a range of nationally recognized pediatric care providers including Anesthesiology/ Pain Service, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Child Life, Nurse Practitioners and more. Our team treats hundreds of surgical spine patients every year and that expertise leads to improved outcomes, like having one of the lowest infection rates in the country.