Pediatrics Common Questions, Quick Answers

Scoliosis

Donna D'Alessandro, M.D.
Susan Kinzer, M.P.H.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed
Creation Date: October 2002
Last Revision Date: October 2002

• What is scoliosis?
• What causes it?
• Who can get it?
• What are the signs and symptoms?
• How is it treated?
• Can it be prevented?
• When should I call the doctor?

What is scoliosis?

• Scoliosis is the sideways curving of the spine.
• The spine has an S-shape or a C-shape instead of being straight.

What causes it?

• We do not know what causes most scoliosis. This is called idiopathic scoliosis.
• Injury, infection, disease, or birth defects can cause it.

Who can get it?

• A person can get scoliosis at any age.
• It occurs in girls more than boys.
• It usually appears in girls between the ages of 10 and 14.
• It usually appears in boys between the ages of 12 and 14.
• It can run in families. A doctor needs to check your child if she has a parent, brother, or sister with scoliosis.

What are the signs and symptoms?
Scoliosis is usually painless.

Early signs:

• One shoulder higher than the other
• Raised shoulder blade(s)
• Uneven waist
• One hip higher than the other
• Leaning to one side
• Ribs sticking out on one side of her chest
• An x-ray can tell if your child has scoliosis.

How is it treated?

• Many children donít need treatment. They see their doctor for check-ups to make sure their curve is not getting worse.
• If your childís curve does get worse, her doctor may have her wear a brace. The brace will fit under her arms and around her rib cage, lower back, and hips.
• If your childís curve continues to get worse, her doctor may suggest doing surgery to straighten her spine.
• Surgery is usually successful.

Can it be prevented?

• No. Scoliosis cannot be prevented.

When should I call the doctor?

• Call your doctor if you have any questions about your childís condition.
• Call your doctor if you see any of the early signs:
• One shoulder higher than the other
• Elevated shoulder blade(s)
• Uneven waist
• One hip higher than the other
• Leaning to one side
• Ribs sticking out on one side
• Call your doctor if your child has back pain that does not go away.

Quick Answers

• Scoliosis is the sideways curve of the spine.
• The cause of most scoliosis is unknown.
• It can run in families.
• Scoliosis is treated by visits to the doctor to check if the curve is getting worse, a brace, or surgery.

References

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Scoliosis. 2000. (cited 2002 August 29). URL: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/brochure/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=14&topcategory=Spine
• Iowa Health Fact Book ñ Virtual Hospital. Questions Often Asked About Scoliosis. 1999 December. (cited 2002 August 29). URL: http://www.vh.org/Patients/IHB/Ortho/Peds/Scoliosis/Questions/Scoliosis.html
• MayoClinic.com. What Is Scoliosis? 2002 April 2. (cited 2002 August 29). URL: http://www.mayoclinic.com/findinformation/conditioncenters/invoke.cfm?objectid=7DBFF2C2-87DE-43DE-8FB57941FC1AC5F6
• National institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Questions and Answers about Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents. 2001 July. (cited 2002 August 29). URL: http://www.niams.nih.gov/topics/scoliosis/scochild.htm

Title Page

See related Patient Topics Bones, Joints and Muscles, Child and Teen Health, Food, Nutrition and Metabolism, Scoliosis, Spinal Diseases or Teen Health.

See related Provider Topics Bones, Joints and Muscles, Child and Teen Health, Food, Nutrition and Metabolism, Scoliosis or Teen Health.

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