All in the family: A big sister returns to the dance floor

Kristina Peitzch jokes that with four daughters her family keeps the local dance school in business. It started with Jessica, now 13. Jessica fell in love with ballet when she was 3. A few years later, Danielle followed, then Madison and finally Abigail. Going to the studio on a nearly daily basis is a family affair. But when Jessica was 9, she started experiencing mysterious ankle pain. Dancing felt a little less enjoyable. “It was random at first and seemed to happen more with activities like gym class or ballet,” says Kristina. The pain would disappear for a few weeks, so Kristina attributed it to growing pains. Over time, Jessica’s ankle pain became more frequent, and she would complain about it several times a week. Kristina mentioned it to her daughter’s pediatrician, who ordered an x-ray of her ankle. It didn’t show an injury or fracture, so Kristina continued to treat Jessica’s ankle pain with an occasional Advil. Jessica’s diagnosis: Osteochondritis dissecans After a few more months of mysterious pain, Jessica’s pediatrician referred her to Dr. Gregory Melkonian, an orthopedist in the Boston Children’s Hospital Orthopedic Center. “He told us, ‘I think I know what this is, but I want her to see Dr. [Dennis] Kramer. He specializes in ankle pain,” recalls Kristina. 5 things to know about osteochondritis dissecans ♦ It typically affects knees but also can occur in other joints such as the ankles. ♦ The condition can occur in both ankles ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Boston Children's at Lexington Dr. Dennis Kramer Dr. Gregory Melkonian Lower Extremity Program Orthopedic Center osteochondritis dissecans Source Type: news