Normal life looks a lot different these days, especially in healthcare. But there is one thing that hasn’t changed at Children’s Colorado: Your child’s health and safety are our highest priority. Kids need great pediatric care as much now as ever, and it’s for that reason that we’re reactivating services we temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. We are here to deliver safe, thoughtful, high-quality care for kids who need it. Learn what to expect – and all the ways we’re keeping patients safe.
If you're concerned that you or your child may have been exposed to COVID-19, please do NOT visit an emergency or urgent care location. Instead, call your doctor or our free ParentSmart Healthline at 720-777-0123 for guidance.
In life-threatening emergencies, find the emergency room location nearest you. For non-life-threatening medical needs when your pediatrician is unavailable, visit one of our urgent care locations.
To help inform you about the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, experts from Children's Colorado have gathered information from local and national health authorities.
If spine and back issues are keeping your child from living their fullest life, our pediatric spine specialists can help them live and play like a kid again. With innovative, industry-leading treatments and an unmatched level of experience in children’s spine care, the Children’s Hospital Colorado Spine Program is the only choice for your child.
About the Spine Program
The Spine Program specializes in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric spine and back conditions and injuries. No matter the type or severity, our pediatric spine specialists explore non-surgical treatment options first because they’re often the safest and most effective. When we believe surgery is the best treatment, patients and their families can expect safe, innovative techniques because we’re one of the top children’s spine centers in the country.
Under the leadership of Medical Director Mark Erickson, MD, we offer advanced treatments, a wide range of expertise and a promise to include your child and your family as partners in your care.
Highly specialized nurses including dedicated spine nurses and inpatient nurses with training in pediatric orthopedics
Operating rooms and equipment specifically designed for kids, teens and young adults
Personalized spinal surgery techniques including advanced navigation systems, robotic spine surgery technology and 3D modeling to make spinal surgery safer and more effective.
Real-time multi-modal spinal cord monitoring to maximize the safety of the spinal cord and spinal nerves during surgery
Watch Hunter’s spine surgery story
Hunter had a condition called congenital kyphoscoliosis that was twisting his backbone so much that it was pinching his spinal cord, preventing him from walking. Watch how our team used several innovative techniques, including 3D modeling, to help him find his legs.
Spinal research and innovations
Navigation and robotics in spine surgery
Our Spine Program is one of just a handful of pediatric programs in the world to use both real-time navigation and robotics during complex spine surgeries.
Real-time navigation during spinal surgery uses a virtual model of the spine in the operating room using low-dose 3D imaging. This allows our surgeons to place spinal implants precisely to maximize strength and minimize the risk of damaging surrounding blood vessels, nerves and the spinal cord. Surgeons at Children’s Colorado are leaders in the field of navigation and have trained numerous surgeons worldwide on best practices for navigation in spinal surgery.
Children’s Colorado is also one of the few children’s hospitals worldwide using robotics in spinal surgery. The robot acts as a guide for the surgeon, helping them make absolutely sure they are placing screws in the correct position along the spine. Children’s Colorado is an early adopter of this technology. In fact, the Spine Program is helping the robot’s manufacturers refine the system to prepare it for more widespread use by other children’s hospitals.
Our specialists also participate in professional groups and ongoing research projects that explore new and innovative care for spine conditions so we can bring the best and safest treatments to you. This includes:
Our Spine Program performs more than 250 pediatric spine procedures each year — more than anyone else in our region. Because of this, our spine surgery outcomes, or measures of safety and success, are among the best in the nation. On average, our patients experience a shorter stay and have a lower risk of infection.
Patients and their families also appreciate our comprehensive and friendly care plan, which includes:
A welcome program and coordinator who provides a hospital introduction and offers support services
An interactive spine education class patients can take to help them prepare for surgery and recovery
An opportunity to connect with former patients to ask questions and share experiences
Accommodations throughout treatment for complex medical problems
30%Shorter hospital length of stays for spinal fusion surgery when compared to the state average
250+Pediatric spine procedures performed each year
ZEROBlood transfusions for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery in 5 years
It's never easy to learn your child has a serious condition that may require surgery. Jessica and her parents share their spine surgery experience with Emily and her dad as they prepare for her upcoming scoliosis surgery.
Nora Casper: Meet Nora, who was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis at just 5 months old.
Jessie Freeland: Learn about Jessie's experience with spine surgery.
Who we treat at the Spine Program
We care for babies, children, teens and young adults who are dealing with spinal conditions. We are the only spine program in our region capable of caring for any pediatric spinal condition, no matter the severity or complexity.
For appointments at Outpatient Care at Briargate, Colorado Springs, call 719-305-9060.
If you would like to speak to one of our pediatric spine nurses, please call 720-777-6962.
Keeping you safe, wherever you are
We're here when you need us with the same safe, high-quality care we've always offered, even during the pandemic. Now, in many cases, you can get that care without even leaving home because we offer virtual visits across every one of our specialties.
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Provider affiliation
Children's Hospital Colorado providers
Children’s Hospital Colorado providers are faculty members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our specialists are nationally ranked and globally recognized for delivering the best possible care in pediatrics.
Community providers
Some healthcare professionals listed on our website have medical privileges to practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado, but they are community providers. They schedule and bill separately for their services, and are not employees of the Hospital.