Meet Aidan, a patient seen by our experts in the Center for Excellence in Hip. Learn more about his journey below.

Blog written by Aidan’s mom, Kelsey of Frisco.  
 
What prompted a visit to Scottish Rite Hospital?  
Aidan was having leg pain and we thought it was a muscle strain or pull. After a few months with on and off pain, visits to the pediatrician, physical therapist and other pain management doctors, Aidan’s pain actually seemed to be getting worse. We then decided to meet with a specialist at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children to determine the cause. Aiden was diagnosed with Perthes disease (a childhood hip disorder caused by a disruption of blood flow to the ball of the femur) in October 2017. 
 
What has his treatment been like?
Dr. Kim is Aidan’s primary doctor and he has been absolutely amazing throughout all of his treatment. Aidan absolutely adores Dr. Kim and is excited to see him at every appointment. Dr. Kim always takes the time to talk to Aidan, answer all of our questions, listen to our concerns and help guide us into the next phase of treatment.

We feel truly blessed to have found Dr. Kim, a world expert in treating Perthes and we can't imagine going through this without him.  

 
Does Perthes disease impact Aidan’s day-to-day life?
Perthes has radically changed Aidan's daily life in many ways. Aidan went from being incredibly active and playing multiple sports to having hip surgery, being placed in a cast and could only get around in a wheelchair. Eventually, he was allowed to use crutches and could gradually place weight on his leg.   

Currently, he is walking free – no crutches or wheelchair! Not being able to play soccer has been extremely difficult for him. He has three sisters, all of whom play soccer, so we have gotten very creative with how we play together as a family. Family soccer takes place in our game room and is sitting only – all time goalies, heading and hands are allowed.

What does Scottish Rite Hospital mean to your family?
We absolutely love Scottish Rite! It is like an extended family to us. Someone is always there to help us find our way and answer our questions. More importantly, Aidan feels loved the entire time we are there and is constantly smiling. We're fortunate to live in Frisco because now our Scottish Rite family has grown, and we can see them more often when Aidan attends physical therapy at the new location.  
 
Does Aidan have any favorite doctors, nurses or staff members at the hospital?
Obviously, we can't say enough good things about Dr. Kim and his entire staff. It's hard to have a favorite nurse when they're all so amazing. It doesn't matter what part of the hospital we're in, the nurses always make us feel comfortable and sometimes that is no easy task. A special thank you to the MRI nurses as well as everyone that takes such great care of Aidan (and every other patient) after surgery. The child life specialists do an amazing job explaining procedures and helping Aidan understand what is happening and the feelings he is experiencing. Our overall experience at Scottish Rite Hospital has been amazing.
 

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Scottish Rite Hospital works closely with the International Perthes Study Group (IPSG) to advance the knowledge and treatment of Perthes disease. Pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Center for Excellence in Hip Harry Kim, M.D., is the chair of this prestigious group. Learn more about the hospital's hip research.