Six Ways to Prevent Toddler Fractures

Six Ways to Prevent Toddler Fractures

by | Feb 9, 2023 | Fractures

According to Gerad Montgomery M.S., F.N.P.-C. from our Fracture Clinic, toddlers are naturally at an increased risk for certain fractures and other injuries. This is because they are in a phase of rapid growth, very active and very unsteady when walking. Toddler’s bones are soft and will often break or buckle with seemingly harmless injuries. He tells us that many injuries that cause a sprain or strain in an adult will cause a fracture in a toddler. The good news, for patients like 22-month-old Kye, is that these injuries generally are stable and do not require casts or splints for very long, if at all.

Here are some common toddler injuries we see in our Fracture Clinic:

Toddler’s fracture is a small break in the bone of the lower leg usually caused by a simple fall or a twisting injury. A common way these injuries occur is when a child’s foot is caught on a playground slide while going down the slide with a parent.

Nursemaid’s elbow occurs with a sudden forceful pull on an outstretched arm. This may happen when someone picks up the child or swings him or her by the arms. With this problem, the child often refuses to use the arm and holds it in a flexed position.

Fingertip injuries occur in thousands of young children each year, and they typically wind up in an outpatient clinic or emergency room. These injuries often result from accidents with common items such as home and car doors, drawers or scissors.

Broken bones from falls and collisions occur when playing with larger, stronger and faster kids or on equipment that is not age-appropriate.

Lessons to Learn:

  • Do not pick up or tug on your child while holding only his or her hands or wrists; this can put stress on the elbow.
  • Do not swing your child around when holding only their hands or wrists.
  • Toddlers should use age-appropriate playground equipment and slides.
  • Toddlers should ride down a playground slide alone.
  • Watch your toddler closely when climbing or playing with bigger kids.
  • Doors, drawers and sharp objects are not toys and young children should not play with them.

As experts in managing fractures and other injuries in growing bones, we are here for you when you need us. Learn more about our Fracture Clinic

Get to Know our Staff: Cheryl Weis, Special Events

Get to Know our Staff: Cheryl Weis, Special Events

by | Feb 8, 2023 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?  
I am the director of special events at the Dallas campus.

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work? 
My day-to-day tasks are pretty basic with emails, spreadsheets, workplans, etc. Event days are more exciting and hands-on with actually setting up and executing the event.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here? 
My first job was at Accenture as a consultant implementing new call center technology. I spent several years implementing software solutions and eventually decided to go to culinary school. After getting my associate degree in culinary arts, I had the opportunity to get involved in event planning. After running my own event production company for a few years, I was ready to join a large organization again, and this position became available around the same time.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite? 
The people have been amazing. Everyone is so passionate about their job here and eager to help no matter what the task.

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know? 
Scottish Rite was a client of mine before I joined. I helped manage the food for Treasure Street for about four years. It takes an army of internal and external resources to pull off some of the amazing events Scottish Rite produces.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been? 
That’s hard to decide, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a lot. My top two places would be Nepal and Africa for a safari in Kenya and Tanzania. 

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play? 
College football. I’m a TCU grad and was so excited to see my Frogs make it to the National Championship this year. I don’t play any sports but was a dancer growing up … tap, jazz, ballet and drill team.

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? 
The 1920s. It feels so glamorous, and I love the dresses the women wore.

What’s one fun fact about yourself? 
I enjoy building Lego sets to relax and unwind. I have a Lego Christmas Village that I add onto every year. The biggest set I’ve built is the Disney Cinderella castle. It’s more than 4,000 pieces and 29” tall.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: How It Helps Your Child

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: How It Helps Your Child

by | Jan 30, 2023 | Sports Medicine

Sports medicine physician Jacob C. Jones, M.D., RMSK, is a musculoskeletal ultrasound expert with advanced training in using ultrasound to evaluate and treat sport-related injuries in children and teens. This commonly used technology uses sound waves to create pictures of the tissues inside the body. Our medical staff regularly partner with our Radiology team to use ultrasound to evaluate and treat sports conditions, and now, Jones will bring that technology and care into the clinic for wider use and immediate accessibility.

After completing a full year of a sports medicine fellowship, Jones spent another year honing his skills in musculoskeletal ultrasound. With a real-time view of the bones and soft tissues, he can provide additional information without exposure to radiation, as with X-rays. In addition to providing images to help diagnose a condition, ultrasound can also be used to guide injections to make sure the medicine goes right where it is needed.

Jones has special training and extensive experience using ultrasound to evaluate injured joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones. Because many sport-related injuries cause discomfort with certain movements, the images are more helpful in diagnosing some conditions than X-rays. He is able to provide results immediately to patients and their families. Occasionally, further consultation with a Scottish Rite pediatric radiologist or additional imaging may be appropriate.

Conditions are Commonly Diagnosed with Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Children and Young Athletes

  • Ligament sprains
  • Tendon injuries
  • Bursitis
  • Presence of foreign objects
  • Muscle strains
  • Trapped nerves
  • Some fractures

Learn more about pediatric sports medicine.

Get to Know our Staff: Paola Sparagana, Research

Get to Know our Staff: Paola Sparagana, Research

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Research & Innovation

Each year, our team seeks out college students interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Clinical Orthopedic Research Assistants (CORA) are hired at Scottish Rite for Children to assist our experts in performing clinical research tasks and collaborating on research projects. CORA staff are also mentored by our physicians and researchers and given valuable advice and guidance for their future. Each CORA staff member specializes in a specific area of study and works with the staff in that department, receiving a well-rounded experience in their field of interest.
 
What inspired you to apply for the CORA position?
What initially inspired me to apply for a CORA position was the sheer uniqueness of the program. Not only was this an opportunity at a globally distinguished hospital, but it also offered numerous opportunities that seemed essential for my professional growth. The CORA program is tailored toward those who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees in medicine. So, unlike other research assistant positions, CORA offers opportunities that are crucial in creating a competitive applicant for any medical degree program. Such opportunities include designated hours for observing in clinic, developing your own research project and learning from true experts in their field. As someone who had minimal experience with clinical research, this seemed like a terrific opportunity to formally introduce myself to the wonderful world of research!
 
Have you always been interested in medicine and/or research?
I grew up with two parents in the medical field, so it certainly has always felt like a natural topic of interest to me. Despite always having this interest, I wasn’t sure what that meant for me and my future. I never experienced a defining moment where I thought to myself, ‘Yes, medicine is it for me!’ In fact, even up to my senior year of college, I found myself wondering if medicine was just an interest or if this had the potential to be a lifelong career. Fortunately, I found myself at Scottish Rite for Children, where my experiences have gradually transformed interests into ambitions and passions.
 
What is it like working at Scottish Rite for Children?
I certainly have a sense of pride when I come to work. Since its inception, Scottish Rite for Children has maintained a reputation of providing extraordinary patient care and pioneering revolutionary research. The staff and volunteers here are a true testament to the excellence of this organization. Working with children is a humbling experience, but that is a feeling that we all need to learn to embrace. In fact, I often find myself learning valuable lessons from the short interactions I have with the children in clinic. There is so much to learn here, and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the community!
 
Can you share a few sentences about someone at Scottish Rite who has been a mentor to you and how they have impacted your experience? What project are you working on with that mentor?
While working here, I have had the opportunity to learn from some truly impressive individuals. Within the Rheumatology department, Lynnette Walters has selflessly invested a significant portion of her time into my own professional and personal development. Within a few short months, Lynnette reinforced my abilities to lead with positivity and integrity. I am currently working on an autoimmunity project with Lynnette that consists of obtaining biological samples and examining disease manifestation at the time of sample collection. Julie M. Fuller, M.D., who is mentoring me through a personal project, has also given me direction and confidence since the start of this project.  
 
How do you think this experience will impact your career path?
It has unquestionably already impacted my career path. This experience has solidified my interests in medicine while giving me clinical experience that goes beyond most entry-level positions. I believe this program has solidified the foundation for my professional career while reinforcing my personal development.  
 
What progress have you made toward your career goal since beginning the program?
The CORA program has helped me not only identify my career goal, but it has also helped me set some crucial career development goals. One important aspect of my career development was gaining exposure to other departments and specialties. I have had the opportunity to work with multiple departments such as Rheumatology and Pediatric Developmental Disabilities. Working with different departments has enhanced my workplace flexibility while also allowing me to step outside my job description and create new opportunities for myself. As I have grown more comfortable in my role, I have felt confident in accepting new tasks and projects that had once seemed daunting. Experience has only made me more confident myself!
 
What is your favorite project that you are currently working on or have worked on at Scottish Rite?
My favorite project is probably my own personal project that I am working on with rheumatologist Dr. Fuller. We are working on a case series examining patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) who also present with Temporomandibular Joint involvement. Getting to work through the challenges of research with Dr. Fuller has given me invaluable experience into the fundamentals of the research development. It is incredibly rewarding to watch an idea transform into a project that you can call your own.
 
What advice do you have for future CORA participants?
My first piece of advice would be to embrace the work that is given to you. It is unlikely that you will always know what to do when assigned a new project, but in chaos there is always opportunity! If you use this as an opportunity to learn, then you’re only better preparing yourself for the future. My next piece of advice would be to allow this experience to be more than just professional development. Let this be a time of personal growth for you. Explore your talents, potential, dreams and aspirations. At the end of the day, it is personal growth that gives us the motivation to accomplish meaningful work and advance in our careers. 
 
What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
Prior to this position, my only true research experience was at Texas A&M, where I helped develop open-education resources (OER) for second language education. We developed textbooks that are now used by Introductory Spanish courses at Texas A&M, which provide students with free textbooks! So, despite my minimal experience with clinical research, I believe it was my eagerness to learn fast and prioritize the information needed that has allowed me to excel in this position.
 
Anything else you would like to add?
The CORA positions are a great opportunity at an outstanding institution with world class medical staff and colleagues. I give the program my most heartfelt endorsement!
 
If you are interested in a career in medicine and plan to take a year or two after college before applying to medical school, learn more about becoming a clinical orthopedic research assistant (CORA) on our careers page. Applications for June 2023 positions are being accepted through spring of 2023.
 
If you are in medical school and are interested in a research opportunity, learn more about becoming a medical student research fellow (MSRF) on our careers page.
Researchers At Scottish Rite For Children Awarded Grant From National Institutes Of Health For Clubfoot Genetics Research

Researchers At Scottish Rite For Children Awarded Grant From National Institutes Of Health For Clubfoot Genetics Research

by | Jan 17, 2023 | Research & Innovation

Researchers at Scottish Rite for Children and UT Southwestern Medical Center were recently awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that will bring new opportunities to discover genetic causes of clubfoot. Clubfoot is a complex foot deformity where one or both feet are turned inward and pointed downward. At Scottish Rite, two nonoperative treatment methods are provided to children with clubfoot, though at times, surgical management may be required.
 
A research team at Scottish Rite, led by Jonathan J. Rios, Ph.D., is investigating the genetic basis of clubfoot. In 2021, Dr. Rios’ team published the largest genetic association study for clubfoot, which included analysis of approximately 8 million genetic markers in more than 8,000 individuals. As part of this effort, his team identified the first gene, FSTL5, associated with clubfoot using this approach. Using similar strategies, Carol Wise, Ph.D., Director of Basic Science Research at Scottish Rite, has led studies discovering genes associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. “This award reflects the expertise of our research staff and the organization’s commitment to research excellence, a combination that enables continued discoveries of the genetic basis for pediatric orthopedic conditions treated at our institution,” Dr. Wise says.

Dr. Rios’ new award will utilize whole-genome sequencing to discover genetic causes of clubfoot. As part of this award, the Gabriella Miller Kid’s First Program will sequence the entire genomes of 407 individuals from 85 families with clubfoot. “The Gabriella Miller Program is a unique opportunity to apply comprehensive genomic technologies to tackle unanswered questions in the field and to discover genetic causes of pediatric orthopedic disorders,” Dr. Rios says. The new Kids First Project on Congenital Clubfoot, led by Dr. Rios, is a collaboration with Dr. Jacqueline Hecht, Associate Dean of Research at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

This is the second Gabriella Miller Project awarded to Dr. Rios. In 2016, the Gabriella Miller Project awarded Drs. Rios and Wise’s study of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, which included whole-genome sequencing of 598 individuals from 168 families. “Scoliosis and clubfoot are the most frequent orthopedic conditions treated at Scottish Rite,” says Scottish Rite Chief of Staff Daniel J. Sucato, M.D., M.S. “Genetic and basic research is fundamental to improving how we care for children, and ‘big data’ studies such as these allow our scientists to tackle new research questions that will advance our understanding of these conditions.” Learn more about research at Scottish Rite for Children and the Scottish Rite for Children Molecular Genetics research team. Jonathan J. Rios, Ph.D., is the co-director of Molecular Genetics at Scottish Rite, as well as an associate professor in the McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development and the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Pediatrics and is a member of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern). Carol Wise, Ph.D., is the Director of Basic Research at Scottish Rite and is a professor in the McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development and the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Pediatrics at UT Southwestern. Daniel J. Sucato, M.D., M.S., is the Chief of Staff at Scottish Rite and is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern.