Your child’s spine – and yours too – consists of 33 stacked bones that run from the base of the skull to the tailbone. From the side, looking at the body in profile, the spine has a gentle S-curve. Looking from front or back, the spine should appear as a straight column. But in 2 to 3 percent of people in the U.S., the spine develops an abnormal sideways curve known as scoliosis.
Over 80% of the 7 million Americans are diagnosed with “idiomatic scoliosis,” which means doctors aren’t sure what causes the curve. The remaining scoliosis cases can be traced to causes like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or congenital irregularities in the vertebrae.
When Alzein Pediatrics urges you to bring your adolescent child in for an annual exam, it’s vitally important that you do; most cases of scoliosis are diagnosed about the age of 10 – 11. At this time, the curvature becomes more pronounced and noticeable. While boys and girls have scoliosis at about the same rates, the severity tends to be worse for girls.
Signs of scoliosis include a variety of posture problems that stem from a twisting, bending spinal column. The shoulders and/or waist may appear uneven when your child is standing straight. A shoulder blade or one side of the rib cage may jut out further than the other.
Scoliosis severity is determined by the angle of the curvature. Mild scoliosis begins when the spine is more than 5 degrees out of alignment. Moderate scoliosis is diagnosed when the spine has a 20- and 50-degree curve, and severe scoliosis is diagnosed when there is a 50 or greater degree curve.
There is no known cure for scoliosis, so the primary goal of treatment is to keep the curve from growing more severe.
In mild cases, your Alzein Pediatrics healthcare provider will use a “wait and see” approach, taking regular scans of the spine to monitor the curve. If the curve shows signs of worsening, we will likely recommend bracing. Modern bracing is increasingly subtle in appearance and, for the majority of scoliosis patients, will keep curves from progressing as your child grows. In rare and severe cases, we will refer your child to a specialist to consider surgical options to reinforce and support a curved spine.
Most scoliosis patients require no treatment at all for the curvature beyond regular monitoring of the curve. The more severe the curve, the more difficult it can be to maintain the curve and to live with the side-effects of having a twisting spine.
Your Alzein Pediatrics provider may recommend support groups for your child and your family to develop healthy adaptive strategies for living with a chronic condition like scoliosis. We will also recommend physical therapy and exercise to improve muscle development and flexibility, promote stronger core strength and spine alignment, and help relieve any scoliosis-related stress.
If you notice or suspect asymmetries in your child’s posture, shoulders, waist, shoulder blades or rib cage, go to our website and click Book An Existing Patient Appointment under the location of your choice. We will perform a physical exam and run a series of tests, possibly including an x-ray or MRI, to confirm any curve and determine its severity. The faster your child is monitored or treated, the more beneficial interventions will be.
At Alzein Pediatrics, we are here to help!
