A girl who complained about shoulder pain urgently needs corrective surgery after scans revealed her spine was curved at a 80 degree angle.
Sophie Burgess had complained about pain in her back and shoulder but trips to the chiropractor and physio hadn't revealed anything wrong. But after recently struggling with her posture it became clear the 12-year-old had a spinal curve as she was struggling to stand upright.
Mum Heidi Burgess Cederholm told the ECHO Sophie had injured her hand and knee in an incident at school so at first put her daughter's posture down to that. But after helping her daughter tie up the back of her swimming costume Heidi noticed how bent her back was.
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Heidi said "this appears to have come from nowhere overnight " as there's been no apparent changes to how Sophie has acted in recent months. She added her daughter has dyspraxia, hyper mobility in her knees, and chronic fatigue so they didn't read too much in to the tiredness, aches and pains Sophie was experiencing.
Heidi said even looking back at photos from the end of last year there weren't noticeable changes so believes the problem must have come on in the winter months. The mum said: "When you think about it all she's been covered up so much wearing hoodies in the recent months I haven't noticed the changes."
Due to the wait to see an orthopaedic consultant on the NHS Heidi decided to enquire about Sophie being seen privately to fast track surgery. Sophie was seen by a scoliosis paediatric consultant at Spire Manchester on April 22 where an X-ray showed an 80 degree curve. Heidi said the consultant told her the 12-year-old had rapid onset progression scoliosis.
The 42-year-old from Pensby told the ECHO : "The consultant said she'd grown seven centimetres in the last year. He said it can be very common especially when girls are going through puberty. But it can come on really rapidly, almost overnight, which is exactly how it was here.
"He said it's very severe though and it could be very problematic especially because of her age and how she's growing. We thought we might be able to get a brace but in her X-ray you can see her back is at an 80 degree bend which he said is way past the point of just having a brace.
"He said the only option was surgery as time is of the essence. If the bend starts going even further it can start crushing her lungs and heart. If it continues to grow and there's no intervention that's what can happen."
Sophie is currently in a lot of pain and becomes breathless very easily. Heidi said it has all been a great shock to Sophie and a lot for her to process.
Sophie is a keen horse rider and has recently started playing netball at her high school so this presents a new physical and mental challenge for her. Heidi said: "When she was told the news she held it together in front of the consultant but then broke down a little and was really upset when it was just me and her.
"I was also crying and put my sunglasses on so she couldn't see. She was really upset and worried but she's been doing research into it all.
"She's being super mature - she's a very sensible, good child. She is nervous but her spirits are positive and she's trying to put all her efforts into fundraising."
Only the initial diagnosis was covered when Sophie was seen by the private consultant so now the family have to fundraise to raise the necessary funds for her surgery at the end of June. Sophie's family want her surgery to happen as soon as possible due to the risk of her spine bending further and face an NHS waiting list of nearly two years if not.
Sophie has directed her efforts into thinking of fundraising ideas and is being supported by her family including her 15-year-old brother Harry who Heidi said has been "amazing" since his sister's diagnosis.
Heidi said: "You just don't expect something like this to just come out of nowhere and affect your child. But Sophie is positive and we've get everything crossed for the future."
You can donate to Sophie's surgery fundraiser here.
