Ask the Expert: Dr. Kristen Carroll, M.D.

At Salt Lake City’s Shriners Children’s, you’ll find a team of orthopedic specialists committed to comprehensive, quality care—from helping children with congenital orthopedic conditions to those recovering from injuries. However, that care is not limited to on-site services: these providers want to see children thrive socially, emotionally and physically, providing resources for families to support their children’s overall growth. 

And no one champions that goal better than the Shriners Children’s medical director Kristen Carroll, M.D. A renowned specialist in neuromuscular diseases such as cerebral palsy, myopathies and neuropathies, Dr. Carroll has been cultivating an environment of hope and healing at Shriners Children’s for decades. “We’re driven to make lives richer, easier and less complex for children and families in Utah and beyond.”

Case in point? The Shriners Children’s clubfoot clinic is considered one of the best treatment programs in the world. The program, with Theresa Hennessey, M.D. and Marcella Woiczik, M.D. at the helm, covers the entire journey, from helping moms navigate an in-utero diagnosis, to casting newborns’ feet for correction when the bones are pliable, to monitoring continued progress toward full mobility. Shriners Children’s care providers are experts in these techniques and in helping parents along the way. That is just one example of the individualized treatment plans Shriners Children’s works to create for patients: the specialties extend to patients from birth to age 18, and to the full scope of orthopedic conditions. 

“The Shriners Children’s team believes every child, regardless of ability to pay, deserves a care plan as special as they are, and I believe healthcare is a human right,” says Dr. Carrol. “We’re all deserving of being treated with respect and kindness.”

Q&A

What is Shriners Children’s specialty?  

“We provide top-of-the-line care recognized as the very best by U.S. News & World Report. All under one roof, our children can access outpatient clinics, wheelchair seating and mobility services, a motion analysis center, therapy services, prosthetics and orthotics, and a host of professional support services to help families navigate treatment. 

How do you know when to seek a specialist? 

“Certainly an injury or suggestions from your pediatrician can lead you to seek care but don’t dismiss your intuition. Moms and dads get that Spidey sense that something is not right. Is my child walking or growing normally? Is their back straight? I highly suggest any parent with questions about their child’s musculoskeletal growth to see a pediatric orthopedic specialist to set their mind at ease.”

Why should we choose Shriners Children’s?

“Our long-standing mission is to provide family-centered care to children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it, regardless of ability to pay. What’s more, all of our providers work on research and training which keeps us at the top of our game. Plus, our specialty in orthopedics and plastic surgical care makes us smaller; this leads to a less intimidating environment for kids and their families than a bigger institution.”

Shriner’s Children’s

1275 E. Fairfax Rd. Salt Lake City
shrinerschildrens.org
801-536-3500


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