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Monica Perry
Pamela Reed
Freshman Comp 1
13 September 2015
Nicely done. See my notes in the body of the paper. Is there another side to the experience of a
child who experiences scoliosis? Be careful not to take a position. The requirement for this paper
is to remain neutral.
Detecting Scoliosis at an Early Age
Going to sixth grade registration may not be a big deal for the majority of students.
However for others, it could be the day that they find out they have scoliosis via a simple school
health check. Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal disorder in which the spine is curved. There are
many different types and severity of the curves. Depending on the condition, some may need
medical treatment. It is extremely important to detect scoliosis at a young age. Detecting the
condition early could help lower the risk of potential complications, including possible surgical
intervention.
So the question is - who gets scoliosis? For the majority of cases, the answer is children
and adolescents. Idiopathic scoliosis (scoliosis of unknown cause) is the most common type of
scoliosis. Infantile idiopathic scoliosis is diagnosed in infants at the ages of 0-3 years. It is
common for boys to develop scoliosis during this time. The curve of the spine is near the
thoracic (chest) area. Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis is diagnosed in children of the ages 4-10 years.
Ten to fifteen percent of idiopathic scoliosis cases occur during this age period. Juvenile
idiopathic scoliosis tends to be more common in boys. According to the National Institute of

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Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (scoliosis of
unknown cause) is the most common type and typically occurs after the age of 10. Girls are more
likely than boys to have this type of scoliosis.
For some scoliosis cases, there is a cause for the diagnoses, such as a tumor. However,
idiopathic scoliosis has no cause, leaving doctors clueless on what causes this disorder.
According to the Scoliosis Research Society, approximately 30% of AIS patients have some
family history of scoliosis, and therefore there seems to be a genetic connection. But for the
other 70 percent of individuals, doctors have no idea where their spinal deformity originated.
Researchers are still looking for what could actually cause this disorder.
There are many ways to check and see if a young person, perhaps even your own child,
has scoliosis. It is common in most middle schools to detect the deformity with a simply
screening. This screening is performed by the school staff. The staff member will ask the child to
stand with his or her feet together and bend forward. The staff member then looks at the students
back while his or her arms are hanging forward. If the right or the left side of the childs rib cage
appears higher on one side or the other, a note will be sent home to the parents. The parents in
turn should make an appointment with a family physician to evaluate the concern. The doctor
will also conduct a physical exam and will repeat the bending forward test. The physician will
then measure the curve with a special ruler. The doctor may also order x-rays to confirm the
degree of the curve.
Once the family physician confirms the spinal deformity, the patient may be referred to a
specialist. This specialist is usually referred to as an orthopedic spinal surgeon. The patient will
meet the specialist and the physician will review the treatment options. These options may
include observation, bracing or surgical treatment. The physician will determine the degree of the

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curve which could be mild, moderate or severe. For patients that have a mild degree of curvature,
the physician may simply observe the patient for any worsening of the condition. The doctor will
compare x-ray results at each visit to confirm if the curve has remained the same or has
increased. The physician may decide to place a brace on the patient when the curve measures
between 25 to 45 degrees. The brace will attempt to straighten the spine and help prevent the
curve from becoming worse.
Surgical treatment is usually recommended when the physician determines that the
curvature of the spine is greater than 50 degrees. The surgical procedure is called a spinal fusion
with instrumentation. This is a major surgery that requires a 3-7 day hospital stay. The surgery
can take up to 6 hours or longer to complete. The patient is placed in the prone position (face
down) on the surgery table and is given medication to go to sleep. The physician will cut the skin
and then attempt to straighten the spine by placing rods, screws and hooks. The physician
sometimes will take bone from the patients hip to help form the spinal fusion.
According to the journal article Long-Term Health-Related Quality of Life After Surgery
for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and Spondylolisthesis, life after surgery returns back to
normal for the patient. The patient for the most part is in good condition for long term.
In summary, it is important to detect scoliosis at a young age to avoid potential health
problems down the road. Detecting the condition early can help the physician observe the
progression over time and determine the course of treatment that will be necessary. In addition, a
person with scoliosis that goes undetected could face serious health problems later in life such as
breathing difficulties or even a shortened life span. Although treatment options for correctly
diagnosed persons include possible bracing or surgery, it will ultimately improve their quality of
life in the years to come.

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Works Cited
Helenius, I, et al. "Long-Term Health-Related Quality Of Life After Surgery For Adolescent
Idiopathic Scoliosis And Spondylolisthesis." Journal Of Bone & Joint Surgery, America
Volume 90A.6 (2008): 1231-1239. CINAHL Complete. Web. 15 Sept. 2015
Questions & Answers about Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents. Bethesda, MD: National
Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National
Institutes of Health, 2001. Web.
"Adolescents." Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Scoliosis Research Society, n.d. Web. 15 Sept.
2015.