Scoliosis in Children: Top Signs to Watch Out For

Jul 20

Have you ever worried that your children have a higher risk of scoliosis because you have it? Or wondered if you could spot some early signs of scoliosis in your children so you could get a diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible?

What are the signs that your child might have scoliosis?

Early diagnosis is crucial with scoliosis! The sooner you can start treatment, the easier it is to stop — or even reverse — curve progression!

Screening your children for scoliosis is a fairly easy process that you can do at home. And doing so could mean the difference between an early or late diagnosis, which can have a significant impact on treatment!

I’m talking about childhood scoliosis in the latest episode of the Ahead of the Curve podcast. I’ve got some stats on risk factors and a step-by-step guide to screening your children at home. If you’re a parent, you don’t want to miss this crucial episode!

Watch the episode on YouTube for a visual demonstration of some steps in the screening process!

Screening for scoliosis in children is extremely important! While some states have scoliosis testing in schools, that doesn’t happen everywhere (only 25 states currently mandate in-school scoliosis screening). And as a parent, you spend the most time with your children, so you have the best chance of spotting any early signs — as long as you know what to look for!

Scoliosis in Children: Facts and Statistics

Let’s start by looking at the data for idiopathic scoliosis in children. “Idiopathic” simply means the cause isn’t known. Here’s what we know.

Scoliosis can be genetic or non-genetic.
A child’s risk of idiopathic scoliosis is higher if their parent(s) have genetic scoliosis.
A child has a 30% chance of scoliosis if one parent has it.
The likelihood goes up to 50% if both parents have scoliosis.

Non-genetic (i.e., acquired) scoliosis can be caused by trauma, neuromuscular conditions, or other contributing factors. If you, the parent, have this type of scoliosis it doesn’t increase your child’s risk of scoliosis. If you want to know more about scoliosis, the National Scoliosis Foundation is a good place to start.

How to Screen for Scoliosis at Home

If your state doesn’t require schools to screen for scoliosis, or if you just want to be more vigilant about early detection, you can screen your child for scoliosis at home.

Use a well-lit room for screening so you can see your child’s spine clearly.
Have them lift or remove their shirt or wear snug clothing that allows you to see their spine.

Start by having your child stand naturally with their feet together and their hands at their sides.
Look at them from behind and check whether their shoulders are at the same height or asymmetrical.
Check for a hip shift or arm distance from hips.
Observe how their clothing fits. Uneven pant-leg hems or waistlines can potentially indicate a curved spine. Another possible sign is crooked stripes on a shirt.
Look at the shoulder blades from the side to see if one side is more “winged” than the other.
Have your child press their hands together and bend over forward, reaching their hands toward the floor. Use your fingers to gently trace the vertebrae from top to bottom down the spine to see if there are any side-to-side deviations or “poking out” sections.

Take notes on anything that you discover in these steps so you can bring that information to your child’s doctor. It’s also a good idea to talk to your child directly and ask if they are experiencing any pain or fatigue in their back muscles.

Post-Screening Steps

If any of these screening steps indicate that there is a potential problem, it’s best to start by seeing your child’s primary care doctor. They will likely take an x-ray and make their own diagnosis before referring your child to a specialist. To be diagnosed as scoliosis, the spinal curve must be at least 10 degrees.

With minimal curves (between 10 and 20 degrees), most medical professionals will recommend a “wait and see” approach and monitor your child to verify whether their curve progresses.

If your child’s curve is between 25 and 45 degrees, the doctor may recommend bracing. If you have access to a scoliosis specialist, it’s important to work with them during the bracing process to get better results of stopping progression or even reversing the curve.

A “severe curve” is one that is at least 55 degrees. In this case, most healthcare professionals would likely recommend surgery.

Why Is Early Detection So Important?

It’s crucial to diagnose scoliosis as soon as possible. This is because scoliosis causes uneven loading on the vertebrae, and the longer that uneven loading continues, the more the vertebrae grow unevenly. And the more asymmetric the vertebrae are, the more the spinal curve progresses.

However, the reverse is also true. The earlier you can detect and start treating that uneven loading, the easier it is to halt (or even reverse) curve progression. If your child works with a scoliosis specialist, they can learn how to stand and build strength in a way that reduces uneven loading and minimizes the effects on the vertebrae.

Managing Scoliosis at Any Age

An early diagnosis can make scoliosis treatment far more effective, so it’s important to make sure your kids get screened for scoliosis. The sooner you know there’s a problem, the easier it is to take steps to minimize or reverse curve progression. If you have scoliosis and weren’t diagnosed as a child, however, there are still plenty of things you can do to manage your condition. It’s never too late to begin working on your scoliosis!

Exercise is one of the best ways to manage pain and other scoliosis symptoms. If you want to be more active but are afraid of hurting yourself or progressing your curve, come join my brand-new program, Scolio Savvy Fitness.

It's a group that meets virtually once a week to exercise together. These exercise classes incorporate Pilates, strength training, and even dance in ways that are safe for scoliosis patients. Attending the live class gives you the chance to ask questions and build community with other scoliosis patients, but you also get access to on-demand videos of each class. I’ll probably charge for this service eventually, but right now, it’s completely free! So come join us — the live classes meet Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.

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