Kids Aren't Just Little Adults

The Importance of Pediatric Orthopaedic Specialists

Kids aren't just little adults, therefore when they require medical care, it’s important that they see medical providers who specialize in pediatrics.

For any medical condition related to your child’s bones, muscles or joints, you should consult with a pediatric orthopaedist. Children have unique anatomy and certain conditions can affect their growth plates, which can impact their growth. At Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland, our pediatric orthopaedic specialists provide advanced care for children’s growing bones and they are able to address each child’s unique needs, ensuring the best treatment possible.

Family-centered care

When your child is receiving medical care, the entire family is involved – especially if your child has a condition requiring continuous care. At the heart of this family-centered care are health care staff members and medical providers who work together with you to best meet the needs of the child. They understand that as a parent, you know your child best and they value your opinions on the plan of care. By including the whole family, the care team is able to offer guidance and devise a treatment plan that will provide optimal healing, and prevention of secondary disabilities. The entire professional team – from doctors and nurses to child life specialists and therapists – works to ease any anxiety and to support a positive hospital experience.

Access to the most advanced options for care

As advancements are made in health care, it is important to ensure that your child’s care team has access to the most innovative and effective technology available. As specialists in the field of pediatric orthopaedics, the Portland Shriners Hospital medical staff is at the forefront of new technology and advanced care options for a wide range of orthopaedic conditions. Some of the state-of-the-art equipment utilized at the Portland Shriners Hospital includes a complete motion analysis center with 3-D motion analysis and muscle timing information, and an EOS 2D/3D imaging machine, which captures whole-body images using only 1/9 of the radiation of traditional X-rays. The Portland Shriners Hospital is one of only two hospitals in the state of Oregon that offers EOS imaging for pediatric patients. Additionally, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland utilizes an O-arm intraoperative imaging system that, when used in a surgical setting, provides surgeons a 3-dimensional view of the spine on an accompanying monitor to increase the accuracy of hardware insertion. The O-arm also provides high image quality and helps decrease the time the patient needs to spend in surgery because of its efficiency.

Pediatric surgical care

If your child’s condition requires surgery, it is important to consider the expertise and credentials of the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon performing surgery, as well as that of the attending anesthesiologists. When working with pediatric patients, it is imperative that the anesthesiologists assisting with the surgery are specially trained to work with children. Pediatric anesthesiologists commit to advanced training and acquire a specialized skill set that allows them to fully understand the unique physical, functional and emotional needs of their pediatric patients. They are trained to make special anesthetic considerations for children from infancy through adolescence. The entire team of pediatric anesthesiologists at the Portland Shriners Hospital are board certified in pediatric anesthesiology, meaning they are equipped to care for the distinct needs of pediatric patients.

Creating a positive hospital experience

In order to meet the developmental, social and emotional needs of our patients, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland offers various support services to make the hospital experience a positive one. Being in the hospital can generate anxiety and stress for anyone, especially children. Certified child life specialists work to reduce fear and anxiety of patients and families during hospitalization by using opportunities for effective coping through play, preparation, education and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families and encourage optimal development of children facing an array of challenging health care needs. In addition to child life specialists, a team of social workers, care managers and a child psychologist are available to provide support to families throughout the child’s continuum of care.

Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland is home to the largest group of pediatric orthopaedic specialists in the Pacific Northwest, united in a mission to provide the highest quality care to children within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative environment. Designed with convenience in mind for families, the Portland Shriners Hospital offers advanced and innovative medical treatment using state-of-the-art technology. With an entire staff specialized in pediatrics, they are able to provide the most comprehensive care for your child’s growing bones, focusing on a wide range of pediatric orthopaedic conditions, from fractures and sports injuries to rare diseases and syndromes.