Our Spine Center is 100% focus on pediatric spine conditions. We treat all young patients — including infants, children and adolescents — with a variety of back and spine concerns. Within these young patients, there common to complex back and spine conditions include congenital conditions, growth-related problems and back/spine injuries and trauma.

Our compassionate, comprehensive spine center will support your child’s health and healing as they recover from an injury or work through a new or ongoing diagnosis. Your child’s spine center care experience could include:

• Testing and imaging
  • A full suite of advanced diagnostic testing including EOS low dose radiation imaging, CT, MRI and PET-MRI 
  • Pediatric interventional radiologists for minimally invasive spinal biopsies, angiography and ablative procedures
• Therapy and rehabilitation
  • Psychology services to assist patients and families with surgery preparation and recovery
  • Occupational therapy to assist in returning to normal day-to-day activities
  • State-of-the-art rehab facilities staffed by pediatric-specific physical and occupational therapists under the guidance of pediatric rehabilitation physicians 
• Commitment to noninvasive spine treatments
  • We’re committed to doing what’s best for kids, and that means avoiding surgery when it’s not necessary. Fortunately, with early intervention, many spinal problems can be treated noninvasively.
  • Our expert team continues to develop new brace technology and embrace other treatments and that maximize our patients’ quality of life and let kids be kids.
  • This includes bracing for early onset scoliosis, nurse led brace support groups, 3D printed brace technology developed by one of our orthopedic surgeons, and spine specific therapy with schroth-certified physical therapists
• Chiropractic care
  • Effective way to treat many types of neck and back pain, with hands on treatments called adjustments
• Spine surgery services
  • All spine procedures are supported by fellowship-trained pediatric anesthesiologists
  • For scoliosis surgery, Children’s Wisconsin offers orthopedic nurse-led support groups for pre- and post-surgical patients
  • Real-time monitoring of spinal cord function during surgery to minimize risk of injury

When coming to a visit in our spine center, your child’s care experience could include:

Check-in

• After you check-in with the front desk, they may notify you if any X-rays are needed before seeing the provider. If so, you will be directed to one of our radiology rooms where X-rays will be taken before you are shown to your clinic room.

Clinic room

• Once you finish check-in, you will be brought to the clinic room where our clinic staff will take your vital signs (height, weight, blood pressure and temperature). You may then see multiple providers to help you in your visit.

Your visit with providers

• You may be seen by a nurse, licensed athletic trainer or medical learner before you see your doctor. They will ask you questions about your injury or condition and examine your spine.
• The doctor will come in shortly after. They may ask some of the same questions as well as perform another examination. This may seem redundant, but this is done to be as thorough as possible and give an opportunity for teaching and learning throughout the visit.
• After the history and physical examination is complete, your doctor will provide you details of your diagnosis and answer any questions you may have.
• They will then give you options for treatment of your condition or injury. Sometimes that includes observation, medication, physical or occupational therapy, immobilization with a brace or, in some cases, surgery.