Screen To Keep Spine Trouble From Getting Worse (NAPS)—The end of summeris a good time to re-establish healthy habits and back-to-school routines. In addition to dental checkups and annual physicals, pediatric medical specialists recommend adding a scoliosis screening to back-to-school checklists. WhatIs Scoliosis? Scoliosis, a musculoskeletal disorder that causes an abnormal curvatureof the spine or backbone, is the most common deformity of the spine, affecting an estimated 6 to 9 million people in the United States. Although 10 percent of ado- lescents may have the condition, notall will need care. Early detection, however, can be key to successful treatment. “Because most causes are unknown, it’s best to find the condition as early as possible to providethe best possible outcome,’ explained Amer Samdani, M.D., chief of surgery for Shriners Hospitals for Children’— Philadelphia. Signs And Symptoms Before the school year starts can be a good timeto screenforscoliosis. said. “At Shriners Hospitals, weoffer the Children and teens with scoliosis rarely exhibit symptoms and sometimes the condition is not obvious until the curvature of the spine becomessevere. Some markers to watch for in a child whohasscoliosis are: Clothes not fitting correctly or hems not hanging evenly whole spectrum of treatments under one roof. We also treat children regardless of the families’ ability to pay, so that often provides a hugerelief to parents.” Entire body leaning to oneside Appearance or texture ofribs sticking up on one side when bending forward Headnotproperly centered over the body. App Helps Parents Detect Signs of Scoliosis e Uneven shoulders, shoulder blades, ribs, hips or waist Diagnosis and Treatment When confirming a diagnosis of sco- liosis, a doctor will review your child's medical history, conduct a full exam- ination, and discuss treatment with you and yourchild. According to Dr. Samdani, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatmentfor scoliosis. “Some cases will just need to be watched; others will need physical ther- apy, bracing or surgical procedures to stop the curve from progressing,” he Learn More For more information on scoliosis screenings, care and treatment, visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/ scoliosis. You can also check yourchild’s spine for scoliosis with the help of your smartphone through the SpineScreen app— available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information on the app and the importance of routine screening, go to www.shrinershospitals forchildren.org/scoliosis. If your child does have scoliosis or any other orthopaedic condition, you should knowthat Shriners Hospitals for Children has 20 locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada that provide expert orthopaediccare.
