For all the clichéd sayings about illness and injury in children, no words truly capture the struggles and emotions of parents, siblings and loved ones who are engulfed by cancer, trauma, congenital difficulties, scoliosis or other neurological disorders seen across the pediatric population. Standing in those shoes is intense, lonely and scary. Fortunately, much progress has been made on many of these fronts, and there is much reason for hope. Neurosurgeons know that if it is the right surgery, for the right patient, at the right time, these interventions can be life-altering. Furthermore, sharing the real stories of patients who have benefitted from neurosurgery may help others realize how they may benefit. Here’s a patient story that was featured on The Spine Hospital’s website (Columbia University) which illustrates how surgery changed the life of one Chiari pediatric patient. To read more about Jack’s story, click here.
Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #PedsNeurosurgery.
Pediatric neurosurgeons who treat Chiari malformation practice in hospitals across the country. The American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery maintains a list of all board-certified pediatric neurosurgeons at www.abpns.org.
