Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Center for Spinal Disorders, part of the Orthopedic, Sports Medicine, and Spine Institute, provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of spine conditions in children and teens up to age 21. Recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise in pediatric spine care, the program offers families access to pediatric spine surgeons and specialized care teams in locations throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, with same- and next-day appointments available. For parents, that means expert scoliosis and spine care can begin close to home.

Nicklaus Children’s also offers EOS spine imaging in all three counties as a walk-in service with a valid prescription. EOS uses low-dose radiation technology that is safe for kids, which is especially important for children with scoliosis and other spine conditions who may need periodic imaging over time. This advanced technology helps support accurate diagnosis, ongoing monitoring, and greater peace of mind for families.

Focused on the Needs of Growing Children

The Institute’s scoliosis and spine services are designed around the needs of growing children and their families. Care includes expert spine evaluation, care navigation, advanced imaging, and close monitoring for children whose spinal curves need to be observed over time. For patients with more complex spine conditions, the program offers the depth of experience that has helped it continue to lead the state in caring for children with complex conditions. Families benefit from a team that understands not only how to diagnose scoliosis, but how to guide them through every stage of care — from observation and bracing to surgery when needed.

Best in Florida for Pediatric Spine Care

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital performs more pediatric spine surgeries than any other program in Florida with outstanding results. Most patients are able to return home within two days of surgery (shorter than the national average) and can resume most activities within three months of surgery.

A Team Approach

The center offers a team approach to care that has been established as a model of practice within the spinal surgical field. The team includes Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s highly experienced board-certified orthopedic surgeons who specialize in spinal surgery in children, dedicated spine-trained anesthesiologists and a PhD neurophysiologist who monitors the spinal cord and nerve function throughout surgery. Dedicated spinal surgical nurses, technicians, and radiology technicians complete the spinal surgical team. The surgical nurses are experts in the care of spinal surgery patients, managing six-eight patients per week.

Meet the Team

Child- and Family-Friendly Surgical Experience

The center's orthopedic nurses devote unlimited time to preoperative teaching for the patient and family to ensure that each is ready for the procedure. In addition, Child Life Specialists work with children and families upon admission to help with questions before, and after surgery. Children recover in the region's leading pediatric hospital, which has many special child- and family-friendly features.

Nurse Navigation, the Personal Touch

The hospital’s patient navigators are nurses who are experienced in the care of children undergoing spinal surgery. They help families, before, during and after the surgery to ensure a smooth surgical experience and transition to home care.

Patient navigators are available 24-7 by phone to address patient and family questions about the care journey before and after surgery, coordinate referring physicians to plan care, including imaging appointments, and manage post-operative care and the transition home.

The Patient Journey

Research and Innovation

The Center for Spinal Disorders at Nicklaus Children's Hospital is committed to offering the latest in research and innovation to the patients and families we serve.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital spine surgeons have membership status in the Harms Study Group, a worldwide collaborative of distinguished surgeons dedicated to advancing treatment of children with spine deformity. Areas of focus at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital include:

• Lowering radiation exposure
• Minimizing blood loss
• Optimizing recovery and hospitalization after scoliosis surgery
• Fusionless/growth-friendly spine correction

The Center for Spinal Disorders and Scoliosis Surgery is one of few centers in the nation involved in a clinical trial for fusion less spinal surgery. This leading edge technique for scoliosis correction in children and adolescents is uses a vertical body tether to correct scoliosis rather than using traditional spinal fusion techniques.

Florida’s Most Advanced Surgical Facilities for Spine Patients 

The Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower features the latest technologies for pediatric spine patients, including:

• Leading-edge technology to convert radiographic images to three-dimensional images to enhance surgical planning. Nicklaus Children’s is the only center in South Florida with this technology. 
• Navigated-assisted surgery with the Medtronic O-arm Surgical System, an intraoperative 2D/3D imaging device that enables surgeons to view, in real-time, the location of implant devices relative to the patient’s anatomy, confirming optimal placement of hardware while surgery is in progress.
• EOSedge™, an imaging system that delivers high-quality three dimensional full-body images of spine patients in a standing position using ultra-low-dose radiation. The equipment has a special flex-dose setting that adjusts the amount of radiation patients receive, minimizing exposure, when possible, while still delivering high-resolution images.