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

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