Ep 105: Scoliosis in children--an overview! With Michael Heffernan MD, pediatric spine surgeon,

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On today's episode of Ask Dr Jessica, we discuss the topic of scoliosis.   Today's guest is Dr Michael Heffernan, pediatric spine surgeon who works at Children's hospital of Los Angeles. In this episode we talk about everything you've ever wondered about scoliosis--like, what is scoliosis exactly? is it preventable? if a child is diagnosed with scoliosis, what can be done about it?   If a child has scoliosis, will it lead to back pain? When is bracing indicated? If a child is recommended to receive surgery, what will that process and recovery look like? We discuss all of this about scoliosis and more!

Michael Heffernan, MD, is a Board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the surgical and nonsurgical management of scoliosis and other pediatric spinal conditions. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.  He can be reached by his email Dr Heffernan's email: [email protected] and he can be found on his instagram @drheffortho.

Before joining the Spine Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Heffernan served as the Director of the Pediatric Orthopedic & Spine Deformity Fellowship at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. 

Dr. Heffernan is active in the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, the Scoliosis Research Society and the Pediatric Spine Study Group. He is passionate about global outreach and is Chair of the Global Outreach Committee for the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. He has also served on the Scoliosis Research Society’s global outreach committee and works with surgeons at Kingston Public Hospital to advance the care of children with scoliosis in Kingston, Jamaica.

After receiving his undergraduate degree at the Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Heffernan received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He went on to an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Heffernan then completed his advanced fellowship training in pediatric orthopedics and pediatric spinal deformity at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. When Dr. Heffernan is not working, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Joanne, and their two daughters, Sophie and Riley.

He can be reached by his email: [email protected] 

Andrew Chung, PA-C email: akchun

Dr Jessica Hochman is a board certified pediatrician, mom to three children, and she is very passionate about the health and well being of children. Most of her educational videos are targeted towards general pediatric topics and presented in an easy to understand manner.

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The information presented in Ask Dr Jessica is for general educational purposes only. She does not diagnose medical conditions or formulate treatment plans for specific individuals. If you have a concern about your child's health, be sure to call your child's health care provider.