<p>My daughter is only in 8th grade but is in love with the Oboe and wants to consider either performance or teaching as a career. As an 8th grader she has made first chair in every honor band she has tried out for, and played a level 6 NYSSMA solo in 7th grade, receiving an A+. I think she has the talent, drive and ability, but we just found out something recently. She also is a 3-sport athlete playing JV in 8th grade.</p>
<p>We found out that she has juvenile arthritis, but it was described as not extremely severe. After playing sports she would complain about joint pain in mostly the knee, tail bone and hip areas. She has never said, and I asked, that this has effected her oboe playing. She is now taking an anti-inflammatory and pain medication, and is most of the time completely fine, although there are occasional flare ups though never effecting her oboe playing, just sports, but she’s tough and the doctor said it’s ok to continue with sports, actually it may be quite helpful, if that’s what she wants.</p>
<p>How would a conservatory or music Ed school look at this? Is it something that will get worse and worse? For those with perhaps a medical background, he mentioned that it may
be something else (that I can’t think of right now–I was in shock and we have a follow up appt. Soon) that with time will go away on it’s own. Which doesn’t really sound like arthritis to me. She had a series of blood tests and only one came back positive, so I guess they are
still investigating. But how would JA look on a music majors application? Automatic rejection or a plus if they play at a high enough level even with the disease? There are really two
reasons I ask this question: one, if she is only going to face rejection down the road, why put so much time into practice and private lessons, and two, she has to make out her hs schedule soon and with all of the music classes offered, there will have to be some choices made, I posted on this before. She has a very nice voice too and is interested in Chorus and another singing group, but oboe comes first for her, and all of this effects her course selections.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t think you need to mention it on application forms etc… Whether it will affect her playing is a question for her and her doctors, but as far as music school applications go, I don’t think it would ever come up.</p>
<p>I agree, with hawkrn. I wouldn’t share any of the medical information. My dd has a medical condition that flares up. DD will share her situation if and when she chooses to. It isn’t anyone’s business but yours.</p>
<p>If your daughter is that good at oboe let her pursue it. You never know if a current medical condition will just stop being an issue. My daughter (also oboe) has had two scares but both problems have gone away or been dealt with. You also never know when and if a new problem might arise in the future. Look at Alex Klein, the former principal oboe of the Chicago Symphony, who got focal dystonia. Even if you only get 15 years out of performing before an injury, it’s worth it if you want to play that instrument. No need to tell the schools anything. My daughter doesn’t tell anyone why she stopped playing bassoon. She was–is–really good at it, but for medical reasons she couldn’t continue.</p>
<p>I agree to keep up with the oboe. I am encouraging my D to start getting used to playing with a neck strap to avoid future injury. I think a lot of young people look upon this as a sign of wimpiness but I know of at least 2 internationally famous clarinetists-one male, one female-that each use a neck strap.</p>
<p>My D plays the oboe too, and is a freshman in college - Music Ed. I agree that this is something you do not need to mention during the application/audition process, but you need to consider whether or not your D will be able practice as much as she needs to in order to keep her playing up to the expected level. My D does seriously practice 2 hours on the oboe almost every day, and she is also playing the violin which she practices daily. This is all in addition to her classes and ensembles. </p>
<p>Would it be difficult for your D to practice/play that much with the arthritis? If she is unable to physically practice as much as she needs to, will that be emotionally difficult for her? </p>
<p>We have a friend of the family who is a flutist and developed carpal tunnel. She had to cut way back on her playing. Not really sure how she managed it, but she is a very talented flutist, so maybe she got away with practicing less.</p>
<p>A lot of practicing is a fact of life for a music major. I am sure the arthritis will make it more challenging. But if the passion and ability is there, there is always a way to make it work!</p>
<p>We know of a young woman that found out in second semester freshman year of a conservatory program that she had a medical condition in her wrists which made the long practice sessions extremely painful eventually causing her to take a long break from piano - pretty devastating to a performance major. She switched to music ed and graduated last May with no further problems. Agree that you don’t need to disclose but your D should be prepared to make any adjustments needed for health reasons.</p>
<p>It’s early in the game so you have time to think about course planning, but as I live with RA, I would suggest that you get your D seen by a competent Rheumatologist as soon as possible. Many people with RA are “serum negative” so their blood work will not show RA as a definitive diagnosis based upon that alone, but she may well meet all of the other criteria.There are new medications-biologics- which can really improve quality of life and prevent joint damage, but again, because she is young she has to be carefully monitored. Those meds, and most others for RA, will suppress the immune system, leaving her more vulnerable to other illnesses. Despite everything, there may indeed be periodic flare-ups which sap strength and time.
Your D is talented and has a lot of options, but of primary concern and importance is her health. Get referrals and do your own research, find the best Rheumatologist within driving distance and get started on a plan of treatment.</p>
<p>I think the advise about not mentioning the JA is right on. I’ve had a parent tell me if we told her school, she wouldn’t be allowed to play any sports and that’s exactly what the doctor says is good for her! </p>
<p>I also agree that any condition could strike any person at any time, so as long as she is capable I think she should do what she loves. I guess I just needed to hear it from other people. And like I said she hasn’t complained of any pain in her fingers or wrists. </p>
<p>She has had two series of blood tests and only one test came back positive twice, although she does exhibit other symptoms as I said. We have a second appointment with a JA Specialist and are suppose to go over some other tests they did next week and agree on a course of action.</p>
<p>Please keep us posted! And I don’t believe that any school district would be permitted to prevent a student with Juvenile RA from participating in sports or anything else, at least not on that basis alone, because it’s a violation of the ADA; that’s not to say that they couldn’t come up with another reason to make things difficult for her. Luckily she is young and advances in treatment are coming along rapidly so chances are excellent that even should your D be confirmed as having RA, in all likelihood she can continue with her music and the movement will help keep her joints active.
There is plenty of time in the future to tell a studio teacher about health issues, if necessary. Again, after acceptance would be ideal. She should definitely learn how to advocate for herself- a skill that serves everyone well!</p>
<p>We saw the eye doctor today and her optic nerve is normal. I had no idea RA could effect the optic nerve, but now that I know it I’m glad it hasn’t.</p>
<p>We also saw the Physical Therapist for the second time who has spoken with the doctor and they think the diagnosis may be Sacroiliitis. I know this is a music School forum, but I’m asking everyone, does anyone know anything about this condition? From what I’ve been able to read it makes a lot of sense because her pain is mostly in the hip and tailbone area and down the leg. That’s basically what Sacroilliitis is – inflammation of the hip joint. The Physical Therapist showed us where on the hip the joint is located and said it can, if I heard him right, slide out of place. My daughter said “Yeah, look.” She made a twisting motion and there was a sound of it clicking back into place! I gasped but she said that made it feel better! The Physical Therapist is going to help her to be able to “adjust” herself, and he said with all the sports she’s been playing it may have been good for the condition but also causing more pain! So he’s going to try to help her with the dr to find a happy medium between sports and pain/inflammation management. I would think sitting a lot and practicing could also irritate the joint area. The Internet also mentions it can be caused by an infection? I’m so confused ! But there still looking at the JA angle, so who knows. But the Sacroiliitis angle I guess would explain why her fingers and joints above the waist seem unaffected. Any Drs or people with this condition on here?</p>
<p>redeye41- please PM me so that we can talk. This condition can be a part of several subsets of arthritis( and can also mimic some other things) and I’m fairly familiar with it.
Is her pain bi-lateral, that is, did it begin in a joint on one side and then appear in the corresponding joint on the other side of the body?</p>