Scoliosis in Children: Everything You Need to Know
The exact cause of scoliosis in children is usually unknown. This disease causes the spine to curve naturally. People with this disease have the spine in the form of an S or C.
In Spain alone, 900,000 children suffer from scoliosis. When children begin to develop this disease, their back starts to bend to the side.
Scoliosis in children
Scoliosis in children is very common today. This disease causes the child to suffer pain and deformation in the body. In addition, this abnormal curve goes down the entire area of the back, which prevents the child from maintaining a completely straight position.
Scoliosis in children usually has an unknown cause. This type of scoliosis is called idiopathic. It’s the most common type and is classified according to age.
Types of scoliosis
- In infants up to age 3, it’s called childhood scoliosis.
- In infants from 4 to 10 years old, it’s called juvenile scoliosis.
- Adolescent scoliosis is in adolescents from ages 11 to 18.
Another Classification
- Congenital scoliosis: This type of scoliosis occurs when a child is born. This is because the baby’s ribs aren’t formed in the correct way and this causes deformation of other bone tissues.
- Neuromuscular scoliosis: This type of scoliosis occurs due to a problem in the nervous system which affects the muscles. The problems that it can cause are: muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, polio and spina bifida.
Who does this disease mainly affect?
This disease usually affects girls. Also, some people are more likely to suffer from the disease. The curve of the spine usually gets worse with growth. This disease causes great pain in children. Sometimes the only way to correct it and avoid pain is through surgery.
External Causes
Sometimes the child’s spine is bent to the side, but it might not be caused by scoliosis. Usually when this happens, it occurs in the first years of life.
Neuromuscular Damage
This type of scoliosis is derived from a problem in the central nervous system. It’s capable of causing a lot of problems in the long run.
- Congenital malformations: This occurs when the child’s vertebrae or ribs don’t form correctly.
- Static damaged: This happens when the pelvis becomes unbalanced. It originates in their legs.
Possible treatments for scoliosis in children
Some types of scoliosis in kids can be cured. However, it all depends on its severity and the type of disease.
- Mild scoliosis. This type of scoliosis isn’t so noticeable. The treatment is to do physiotherapy exercises. The goal of treatment is for the muscles to become stronger and the contracted parts to stretch. With these exercises, your body can adopt the correct posture.
- Scoliosis of medium severity. For this type of scoliosis in children, they must wear a corset. This way, their spine can grow and develop properly. This treatment requires that it be complemented with therapeutic exercises.
- Serious scoliosis. This occurs when the deviation is very obvious, in which case it’s necessary to operate on the patient. The operation is usually carried out between 10 and 12 years of age. After operating on the child, rehabilitation must be done through exercises. Physiotherapeutic exercises are necessary for complete recovery.
Evolution of scoliosis in children
This depends on several factors. The age at which it’s diagnosed and the origin are two fundamental aspects to determine its evolution. On the other hand, idiopathic scoliosis has a more positive prognosis than congenital scoliosis.
Congenital and muscular scoliosis can be overcome depending on its evolution. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment must be started. This way, you can keep the disease under control.
Late diagnosis
When scoliosis in children is diagnosed late, a large number of complications arise.
If the spine has been in an incorrect position for a long time, it may cause immobility in other parts of the intervertebral discs. This occurs when the child’s body suffers premature wear, such as wear on the knees and hips.
Periodic spine exam
Scoliosis in children usually causes a lot of pain. The curvature of the spine causes the vertebrae to be pressed and the pain to increase.
In these cases, your doctor may prescribe some pain medicine. Some of these diseases worsen by not being diagnosed early enough or by poor treatment.
From time to time, parents must perform a spinal exam on their children. It’s important to rule out any possible diseases during the growth stage.
If you notice anything abnormal, it’s essential that a doctor treats it as soon as possible. In this sense, it’s important that parents are very attentive to the positions their children hold when they sit down to study or when they walk.