About three million Americans are challenged by scoliosis
each year, a spinal condition that most commonly occurs in adolescents and
teens. How to discern and treat its symptoms?
Scoliosis occurs when the vertebrae in your back form a
curved line or twist like a corkscrew instead of remaining straight. It can
cause problems for the rest of a child's life if not detected early enough.
Megan Glosson says that the severity of
scoliosis can vary from a slight abnormality to a complete disfiguration that
affects how a person walks and breathes. Small curves in the spine aren't
typically cause for serious concern, but when these curves are left untreated they
can often worsen over time and negatively impact your child or teen's health.
Much to the dismay of parents, doctors still do not know
the exact causes of scoliosis. Some children are born with curvatures in their
vertebrae, whereas other times scoliosis develops after a growth spurt. The
condition is most often detected in children between the ages of 10 and 15.
Doctors believe that there is a genetic link to scoliosis, meaning that it
often runs in families. Furthermore, girls develop scoliosis more often than
boys, though doctors are not sure why.
Although parents worry that heavy backpacks and poor
posture may cause scoliosis, doctors say that these issues do not cause
curvatures in vertebrae.
You can check your child for scoliosis by doing a simple
test.
- Have them stand up straight
- Let them bend down at the
waist
- Bring their forehead to their
belly button
- Ask them to roll the back
forward while bending
If scoliosis is occurring, you and the doctor will notice
that one side of your child's ribs sit higher than the other. When scoliosis is
suspected, a child's pediatrician or family doctor will order an X-ray to
measure the curvature of the spine.
If a child's scoliosis is mild, often times doctors will
just monitor it or prescribe physical therapy. If it appears that scoliosis may
cause more serious health problems, doctors often issue a back brace to prevent
further curvature and to hopefully correct the alignment of the vertebrae. In
some cases, surgery may be required.
Early intervention can help avoid further damage during
additional growth spurts. Luckily, only about 10 percent of children with scoliosis require surgery, and just 30 percent
even need a corrective back brace.