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What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a condition than can affect a child where the spine has a laterally abnormal curve, and the majority of patients are female. It can be a result of genetic spine deformity in a baby or infant resulting in neuromuscular conditions, and/or one limb longer than the other. Cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and tumors can cause scoliosis as well.
The majority of scoliosis cases however, are idiopathic, meaning there is no proven cause. These cases are usually otherwise healthy people. It is very rare to find scoliosis in children younger than ten, but it is possible. The puberty stage is usually where scoliosis is first seen. Early detection of scoliosis is the key to preventing further deformity. More below:
Symptoms
Symptoms of scoliosis can include one or many of the following symptoms: an child's shoulders being uneven or one higher than the other, head is not balanced in a centered position above pelvis, one or both hips prominently raised, rib cages not equidistant to the spine, uneven waist, when standing leaning of the body to one side, skin over the spine with dimples, hairy patches, or pigment changes.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Many pediatricians and school health officials administer the Adam's Forward Bend Test to school age children in the 5th or 6th grade. In this test the patient will bend 90 digress at the waist while leaning forward with his/her feet together. The person examining the patient can then notice any abnormality to the spine, although this test can detect problems it cannot pin point how severe the problem is.
Depending on how severe the condition is many doctors will treat patients with either observation over the rest of their growing period to control the condition, bracing of the back to slowly correct the problem, or in the most extreme case surgery which involves the adding of metal columns to the spine to correct the curvature.
As with any other disease or condition early detection is vital to the complete recovery of the patient.
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