Watch Your Child’s Spine
May 1st, 2009 by Susan Kirstein
Parents often raise an eyebrow when something doesn’t feel right with their child. For Angie Johnson of Ripley, Mississippi, it was a subtle change in her teenager’s back that caught her attention.
Last summer, her daughter Hailey had a spine that was “as straight as an arrow,” but with the start of school and a huge growth spurt, she suddenly noticed her 13-year-old’s back looked different.
“I noticed it on a Saturday,” Johnson recalls. “There was a definite curve.” She immediately took her daughter to the chiropractor who surprised her with the diagnosis. Hailey had scoliosis.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. A healthy spine looks like a straight “I” when viewed from behind. A spine with scoliosis curves sideways, making it look more like an “S” or “C.”
Scoliosis affects just 2 to 3 percent of the total population, according to experts. And only a small percentage of that number have scoliosis to a degree that requires treatment. In children, it’s usually discovered between ages 10 and 14.
Contrary to popular belief, slouching, carrying a heavy backpack, eating junk food, or not getting enough calcium will not cause scoliosis.
In fact, the most common type — idiopathic scoliosis — has no known cause and typically occurs during adolescence in an otherwise healthy child. “We don’t fully know why yet, but we think it’s related to genetics” says Jeffrey R. Sawyer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Campbell Clinic, and assistant professor of orthopedics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Girls are seven times more likely than boys to develop serious spinal curvatures needing treatment, says Sawyer, and if one child in the family is found to have scoliosis, siblings should be checked, since they’re at a 20-to-30 times higher risk for having a similar diagnosis.
Pediatricians often check for scoliosis at “well-child visits.” The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) would like to see more states adopt a school-based screening policy for scoliosis. Tennessee is among a number of states that don’t require the screening.
Because adolescence is when a youngster’s spine is at greatest risk, the AAOS recommends girls be screened twice, at age 10 and 12, and boys once, at age 13 or 14.
Once detected, patients are referred to an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spinal deformities. “Early detection is key with scoliosis,” notes Sawyer. “The earlier you brace the spine, the smaller a residual curve you have in the end.”
To determine which treatment is best, an orthopedist uses an X-ray to measure the curvature of the spine in degrees. If it’s a moderate curve between 25 to 40 degrees, the orthopedist will generally suggest a back brace. Bracing will not correct a curvature, but should prevent it from getting worse.
Most cases of scoliosis don’t progress to the point where medical treatment — either bracing or surgery — is needed. And better, today’s treatment is less difficult than in past years. Most braces are now made of lightweight material and worn under clothing. Bracing does require a lifestyle change, since the apparatus is worn 18 to 20 hours a day.
In Hailey Johnson’s case, the teen has a 38- degree curve in her spine. After researching options, her mom chose a SpineCor soft brace, mainly because her daughter competes on a gymnastics squad.
“I chose a soft brace because of how active she is,” Johnson says. “There is no way she could wear a hard brace.” SpineCor is a relatively new addition to bracing options, according to Stephanie Halcomb, DC, the chiropractor who treats Johnson.
Halcomb, who operates the Memphis Scoliosis Center, began offering the brace in September. One benefit is it can be worn while playing sports. “Sports are encouraged because the more patients use their muscles, the more the brace will work,” Halcomb says.
Hailey wears her brace for 20 hours a day and the SpineCor brace is typically worn for 18 months to two years. Johnson says wearing the brace has been an arduous transition for her daughter. She hopes to see good results with the treatment. Her advice to parents? Keep a sharp eye out.
“The sooner you catch scoliosis, the better,” she says.
Do this HOME TEST FOR EARLY DETECTION
Source: Scoliosis Association, Inc.• scoliosis-assoc.org.
• Is one shoulder higher than the other?
• Is one shoulder blade more prominent than the other?
• Does one hip seem higher or more prominent than the other?
• Is there a greater distance between the arm and the body on one side than on the other when the arms are hanging down loosely at the sides?
• Is there a larger “crease” at one side of the waist than the other side?
• Does the child seem to “list” or lean to one side?
• When you examine the child, have her bend forward with arms hanging down loosely, hands even, and palms touching each other at knee level.
When in this position:
- Is there a prominence or hump in the rib area?
- Is there asymmetry in the hips or waist?
Tags: scoliosis