'We were glad when we got Patrick's diagnosis because it confirmed that we weren't imagining it'
A Northern Ireland mother says she is on a "constant rollercoaster of mixed emotions" after being forced to fork out thousands of pounds on travel to Philadelphia every eight weeks so her son can undergo vital scoliosis treatment.
Patrick has two major curves on his spine - thoracic levoscoliosis and lumbar dextroscoliosis - but the treatment he requires is not available in Ireland, meaning the mother and son have to cross the Atlantic at a huge financial cost. "Patrick's dad and sisters can't come because it's too expensive. Patrick's very hyper so the initial image of him being on the plane was worrying me but he's coped well."
Keen to avoid such extensive procedures, Nikita conducted her own research and soon discovered Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia which offers Mehta casting, a common method used to help treat early-onset scoliosis. "The cast gets very itchy on Patrick, especially in the warmer months and his sleep has been very unsettled since getting it applied last September.
"At this point, it was essential to get treatment started as soon as possible to stop any long-term damage to his internal organs," Nikita said. "It was a scary time.
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