Welcome to the Pediatric Orthopaedics Department at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center.
The Orthopaedics Department at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center is devoted to treating children with a variety of conditions including spinal disorders, congenital problems, bone and joint infections, neuromuscular disorders and injuries.
Contact Us
To make an appointment, please call (314) 268-4010. For cerebral palsy appointments, please call (314) 577-5646 ext. 2. For scoliosis appointments, please call (314) 577-5646 ext. 1.
Common Diagnoses
Fractures
Sports-related injuries
Gait/intoeing problems – irregularities in a child’s stride including
feet that are turned inward while walking
Clubfoot – a common birth defect in which the foot is turned
downward and inward
Hip Dysplasia –displacement of the hip which a child can be born
with or develop later
Cerebral Palsy – a disorder affecting motor skills, movement, and
posture
Myelodysplasia – incomplete development of the spinal cord which
can cause paralysis of the legs
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease – problem with the blood supply to
the hip which can cause breakdown of the bone
Bone and joint infections
Spinal disorders
Signs and Symptoms
| Complaints of pain |
Noticeable deformity in arms, legs or spine |
| Limping |
Redness or swelling |
| Refusal to use an arm or a leg |
|
Treatments Provided
The need for surgery is based upon your child’s diagnosis and age. Your doctor will discuss treatment options in depth with you and your child at the time of your visit. Treatments may include:
Casting or splinting
Non-operative treatments such as physical therapy and bracing
Fracture fixation involving surgical rods, plates, screws and/or pins
Operative surgery
The orthopaedic team works closely with other departments such as Neurology, Rehabilitation, Genetics, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology and Urology to provide outpatient treatment and rehabilitation for conditions such as cerebral palsy, neurofibromatosis, and myelodysplasia. Multidisciplinary clinics are available for these disorders so that your child can see each different doctor during one appointment.
Preparing for Your Visit
While most of the patients seen in Orthopaedics at Cardinal Glennon are referred from primary care physicians, a referral is not required to be seen. However, some insurance providers may require a visit to a primary care physician first.
The most important part of communicating with your child’s orthopaedist is to be specific. Be sure to tell the doctor what type of pain your child is experiencing, what part of the body pain sensations are coming from and the duration of the symptoms. The situation in which the pain occurs is very important - does it wake your child from sleeping? Does he or she experience pain only while running?
Tell your doctor about your expectations. If there is any family history of similar problems, let the physician know about it. Your child’s past medical history should also be discussed.
If your child has undergone any testing or digital imaging related to his or her condition, bring in the report, as well as copies of the tests. Unless you request this information, most times it will not be automatically sent before your child’s appointment. Our orthopaedists generally do not have access to tests performed at other hospitals. This includes the results of MRIs, CT scans, x-rays, etc.
Braces and assistive walking devices used by your child should be brought along as well.
It is helpful when your child is relaxed for his or her visit. You may want to tell your child that there will be more than one doctor involved. Children are often delighted to hear that they will not be receiving shots, and blood is drawn only very rarely. Children can expect an x-ray, which is completely painless. If your child is having a cast removed, he or she may be frightened. The process doesn’t hurt, but it may tickle. However, the saw used to remove the cast is very loud. Cardinal Glennon is planning to acquire a quiet cast removal system in coming months.
During Your Child’s Visit
It is common for patients to see more than one medical professional during his or her appointment. As Cardinal Glennon is a teaching hospital, medical residents are an active part of the Orthopaedic Department. These residents are licensed physicians gaining experience in the subspecialty of orthopaedics.
On the day of your initial visit, you and your child will first talk to a nurse, who will screen for medications and allergies. Afterward, a medical resident or physician’s assistant will perform a detailed medical history and give your child a physical. During the physical, the physician will do a general physical examination and then perform a focused examination of the area causing your child pain or problems. If an x-ray is necessary, it may be completed the day of the first visit. The results will be available to you before the visit is over. However, additional appointments are usually scheduled for MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds and bone scans.
The last step is to consult with an attending orthopaedic physician to discuss the results of your child’s testing and consider treatment options. Orthopaedic medicine is divided into several areas which is treated by physicians with condition-specific training. It is important to schedule your appointment with the right doctor to ensure the best care for your child. Our orthopaedic doctors' specialties are listed below under "Meet the Team."
Current Study
SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center is currently conducting a study regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) of patients with orthopaedic injuries. We are collecting this information to learn about what effects orthopaedic trauma has on children. Your physician may request that your child (if between the ages of 8-18) complete a questionnaire about his or her injury.
Other Locations
We serve Orthopaedic patients at other Cardinal Glennon locations. Click here for more information about our service at St. Anthony's Medical Center in South County and Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Illinois.
Additional Resources
Watch videos about How the Body Works and learn about your child's health in our KidsHealth library and resource center.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
Children’s Tumor Foundation
OrthoPediatrics
Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America
United Cerebral Palsy
Meet the Team
Elizabeth Engel, MD, Director
General pediatric orthopaedics, cerebral palsy and trauma
Robert Medler, MD
General pediatric orthopaedics and sports medicine
Howard Place, MD
Spinal disorders
Aki Puryear, MD
Myelodysplasia, spinal disorders, general pediatric orthopaedics and trauma
Anver Tayob, MD
Fracture care
Scott Kaar, MD
Sports Medicine
John Boudreau, MD
Trauma
Jay Noffsinger, MD
Sports Medicine
Thomas DeBartolo, MD
Shay Hieptas, PA-C
Emily Schumert, PA-C
Jean Kiburz, RN, PCNS
Bridgette Bobo, Medical Secretary
Lisa Gaudette, Medical Secretary