In accordance with the Virginia General Assembly (House Bill # 1834), schools will provide educational information on scoliosis to all families of students in grades five through ten.

 What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, making it appear like an “S” or “C”.  It affects 2-3 % of the adolescents by the end of their growth period.  Mild curvatures, generally, do not cause problems.  However, 3-5 out of every 1,000 adolescents have curvatures large enough to warrant treatment.  Scoliosis, if left untreated, may cause serious problems including limited range of motion, back pain, deformities leading to degenerative arthritis and disk disease, and in extreme cases, cause impaired heart and lungs function.

 Early detection is key in preventing the progression of scoliosis.  A simple check for scoliosis is part of a routine physical exam.  Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to have their child evaluated by their primary care physician for scoliosis as part of a regular checkup.

 What are the signs of scoliosis?

• One shoulder may be higher than the other.
• One shoulder blade may be higher or more prominent than the other.
• With arms hanging loosely by the side, there may be more space between the arm and the body on one side.
• One hip may appear higher or more prominent than the other.
• The head is not centered over the pelvis.
• When the patient is examined from the rear and asked to bend forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back appears higher than the other.

What causes scoliosis?

In 80-85% of cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown, a condition called idiopathic scoliosis.  However, scoliosis may be a result of an injury, a birth defect, or a crippling disease.  It may run in families, and most often, affects girls.  It commonly affects adolescents during their last major growth spurt between the ages of 10 and 18.

How is scoliosis diagnosed?

Scoliosis may be suspected on physical exam, when the aforementioned signs are noted, either visually or with the use of a scoliometer, which is a device for estimating the amount of curvature to the spine.  The examining practitioner may order an x-ray depending on the degree of curvature.  The Scoliosis Research Society defines scoliosis as a curvature of the spine measuring 10 degrees or greater on x-ray.

How is scoliosis treated?

Treatments for scoliosis include:

• Observation and repeated examinations every 4-6 months to insure curvature is not progressing.
• Bracing may be used for moderate curvatures of 25-40 degrees.  The type of brace and amount of time spent in the brace may vary.
• Surgery may be required for curvatures of more than 50 degrees and in cases where bracing has been unsuccessful in slowing progression of curvature.

**If you have any concerns related to your child and scoliosis, or if your child has not had a routine physical exam in the past year, we urge you to make an appointment with your child’s primary care physician.

For more information see:

www.SRS.org

www.familydoctor.org