Texas Children’s Expands Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity Program to Treat Patients in West Houston

HOUSTON (January 30, 2025) – Texas Children’s Hospital is excited to announce the expansion of its Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity Program to serve patients in West Houston and beyond. With this expansion, the nationally ranked program will be able to treat nearly 250 patients annually. 

“We are excited to bring more accessibility to spine and scoliosis treatment to the communities in West Houston and beyond,” said Margaret Baldwin, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital. “We are committed to providing excellent orthopedic care to children and teenagers, and bringing that care closer to home means we can help even more kids.” 

Dr. Baldwin will join Frank Gerow, M.D., who completed the first spine surgery at West Campus in late November. Both surgeons will continue their practice at the flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center. 

The Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity Program at Texas Children’s Hospital provides specialized evaluation, treatment and care to patients with scoliosis, spinal fractures, back pain and other spinal deformities. The multidisciplinary team of spine experts sees more than 4,900 patients each year. 

One of those patients, Lyric Mock, was the first person to receive spine surgery at Texas Children’s West Campus. The 11-year-old girl from Rosenberg was treated for scoliosis to prevent further progression of her spinal curvature. 

“I’m so thankful to the team at Texas Children’s Hospital for helping my daughter follow her dreams,” said Danivea Blackmon, Lyric’s mom. “The entire team made sure to treat Lyric like a person and get to know her, all while giving her the best care possible. I’m excited for her future and being able to watch her play sports next year, thanks to this surgery.”

"I am delighted to have been able to help Lyric by alleviating her discomfort and preventing further curvature of her spine,” said Dr. Gerow. “Her recovery progress has been remarkable, and I am thrilled that she now feels well enough to return to school and focus on just being a kid again. It is truly my passion to assist patients diagnosed with scoliosis and other spinal deformities, and I am excited that Texas Children’s now has the opportunity to offer this to even more children and teenagers."

The Texas Children’s Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine program has been ranked No. 7 by U.S. News & World Report and is consistently ranked one of the top programs in the country. In addition to providing care to infants, children, teenagers, and young adults for everything from minor fractures and sports injuries to complex disorders and congenital conditions, the multidisciplinary team of experts also treats young and elite-level athletes with acute and chronic sports injuries. 

“Our program has significantly grown since its inception, and we are honored to be able to provide more families with the highest level of individualized care, right in their own neighborhood,” said Simon Kelley, M.D., Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Texas Children’s Hospital. “The expertise and experience that our team brings is unmatched in the greater Houston area, and I’m proud that we can offer this resource to even more families.”

ABOUT TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Texas Children’s, a nonprofit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The system includes the Texas Children’s Duncan NRI; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin families. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO focused on children; Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine.