During the operation, the orthopedic surgeon fuses the bones in the spine together so that they can no longer continue to curve [Please register to see this link
Register] While small curves generally do not cause problems, larger curves can cause discomfort [Please register to see this link
Register] But keep in mind that each patient's surgery and recovery might be different, depending on the type of surgery and the patient's age [Please register to see this link
Register] Someone who has a mild curve might just need regular checkups to make sure the curve isn't getting worse [Please register to see this link
Register] Adult scoliosis may be a worsening of a condition that began in childhood, but wasn't diagnosed or treated
[Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis may throw you a curve, but with the right care, a kid can grow up healthy and feeling fine [Please register to see this link
Register] Fortunately, most cases of scoliosis don't get worse, and periodic checkups may be all your child needs [Please register to see this link
Register] The operation takes several hours, depending on how big the curve is and how many bones need to be fused [Please register to see this link
Register] Other causes for scoliosis include cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and tumors [Please register to see this link
Register] Children with a more severe cu
rve that continues to increase may require a brace, surgery or both [Please register to see this link
Register] Many kids with scoliosis have one shoulder blade that's higher than the other or an uneven waist with a tendency to lean to one side [Please register to see this link
Register] There are no activities, including sports, that doctors know about that can make scoliosis worse [Please register to see this link
Register] But it's not hurting anything, so it isn't removed [Please register to see this link
Register] Over 80% of scoliosis cases, however, are idiopathic, which means that there is no known cause [Please register to see this link
Register] For more informatio
n on how to know if you or someone you know has scoliosis, see the symptoms page [Please register to see this link
Register] Sometimes the doctor will decide that the curve isn't serious enough to need treatment [Please register to see this link
Register] In other cases, scoliosis may result from a degenerative joint condition in the spine [Please register to see this link
Register] Someone with scoliosis may have a back that curves like an "S" or a "C [Please register to see this link
Register] The kid can still move to pet the dog, swim laps, or shoot hoops [Please register to see this link
Register] There are many causes of scoliosis, including congenital sp
ine deformities, genetic conditions, neuromuscular problems and limb length inequality [Please register to see this link
Register] If you look at yourself sideways in the mirror or look at a friend from the side, you'll notice that the back isn't flat like a piece of board [Please register to see this link
Register] If you do need treatment, you'll go to a special doctor called an orthopedist (say: or-tho-pee-dist), or orthopedic surgeon, who knows a lot about bones and how to treat scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] There are many different types of braces [Please register to see this link
Register] A brace for scoliosis is meant to hold the spine in place so the curve doesn't get any worse
[Please register to see this link
Register] How Do Kids Find Out if They Have Scoliosis? Sometimes scoliosis will be easily noticeable [Please register to see this link
Register] If you have scoliosis, you're not alone [Please register to see this link
Register] Instead, it curves in and out between your neck and lower back [Please register to see this link
Register] The orthopedist will probably start by figuring out how severe your spine's curve is [Please register to see this link
Register] Normally, a kid who has this operation will be able to get out of bed the next day and start to walk, doesn't need to wear a cast or brace, and can usually go home in less than a week
[Please register to see this link
Register] Most idiopathic scoliosis cases are found in otherwise healthy people [Please register to see this link
Register] " It may or may not be noticeable to others [Please register to see this link
Register] The surgeon also uses metal rods, hooks, screws, and wires to correct the curve and hold everything in line until the bones heal [Please register to see this link
Register] In the United States, about half of the states require public schools to test for scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] Someone with a more severe curve may need to wear a brace or have an operation
[Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis is not a disease—it is a descriptive term [Please register to see this link
Register] Doctors try to make better braces for kids with scoliosis, so braces now are lighter, more comfortable, and easier to wear than they used to be [Please register to see this link
Register] Severe scoliosis can cause back pain and difficulty breathing [Please register to see this link
Register] Early detection is essential [Please register to see this link
Register] 5% of men in the general population [Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis is an abnormal c
urvature of the spine [Please register to see this link
Register] You might get examined for scoliosis at school or during a doctor visit [Please register to see this link
Register] It's an easy test called the forward-bending test, and it doesn't hurt at all [Please register to see this link
Register] Idiopathic scoliosis is broken down into four categories based on age: (1) infantile: children ages 3 and under, (2) juvenile: 3-9 years old, (3) adolescent: 10-18 years old, and (4) adult: after skeletal maturity [Please register to see this link
Register] Without it, you couldn't walk, run, or play sports [Please register to see this link
Register] The trouble for someone with scoliosis is that the spine curves from side to side
[Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis affects 2% of women and [Please register to see this link
Register] Some braces are made to be worn only at night and others are designed to be worn both day and night [Please register to see this link
Register] ) Doctors do know that scoliosis can run in families [Please register to see this link
Register] A kid with scoliosis who has to have surgery should talk to a doctor about how to participate safely in activities [Please register to see this link
Register] If the doctor wants to get a better look, he or she may order X-rays of your spine [Please register to see this link
Register] After the spine finishes growing, braces are no longer effective
[Please register to see this link
Register] The word scoliosis (say: sko-lee-oh-sus) comes from a Greek word meaning crooked [Please register to see this link
Register] People with a family history of spinal deformity are at greater risk for developing scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] So if a parent, sister, or brother had scoliosis, you might have it, too [Please register to see this link
Register] This kind of brace comes up under the arms and is more comfortable than the bigger braces [Please register to see this link
Register] To do this, an orthopedist looks at X-rays and measures the spine's curve in degrees, like you measure angles in math class
[Please register to see this link
Register] Braces often do the job, but some kids who have scoliosis eventually need an operation [Please register to see this link
Register] There are no activity restrictions for patients with scoliosis unless they have to have surgery [Please register to see this link
Register] This causes the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than on the other side [Please register to see this link
Register] Braces are usually named after the cities where they were invented and have names like the Boston brace, the Wilmington brace, the Providence brace, and the Charleston brace [Please register to see this link
Register] Kids with scoliosis often wear a brace called a thoracolumbosacral orthosis
(say: tho-ra-ko-lum-bo-say-krul or-thoh-sus), or TLSO for short [Please register to see this link
Register] To remove it would mean getting another operation [Please register to see this link
Register] Before they used metal rods, a kid would have to wear a body cast for up to a year to keep the spine in place during the recovery period [Please register to see this link
Register] Your spine, or backbone, helps hold your body upright [Please register to see this link
Register] A brace will not permanently correct curves that are already there [Please register to see this link
Register] The metal parts are placed deep under the spine muscles, and in most cases can't be felt and do not hurt
[Please register to see this link
Register] " Therefore, a kid with scoliosis will spend less time in the brace as he or she gets older and gets closer to adult size [Please register to see this link
Register] If you need a brace, your doctor can discuss which type would be best for you [Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis runs in families, but doctors often don't know the cause [Please register to see this link
Register] A curved spine can cause someone's body to tilt to the left or right [Please register to see this link
Register] After the bones fuse, the metal rod isn't needed anymore [Please register to see this link
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[Please register to see this link
Register] These problems may be noticed when a kid is trying on new clothes [Please register to see this link
Register] The most common form of scoliosis, representing approximately 80% of idiopathic scoliosis cases, is Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), which develops in young adults around the onset of puberty [Please register to see this link
Register] Despite that gentle curve, a healthy spine appears to run straight down the middle of the back [Please register to see this link
Register] No one knows what causes the most common type of scoliosis called idiopathic (say: ih-dee-uh-pa-thik) scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] It's also possible that the kid does not have scoliosis, but one leg may be slightl
y shorter than the other [Please register to see this link
Register] Most types of scoliosis are more common in girls than boys, and girls with scoliosis are more likely to need treatment [Please register to see this link
Register] If one pant leg is shorter than the other, a kid might have scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] For a small number of people, the curve gets worse as they grow and they may need a brace or an operation to correct it [Please register to see this link
Register] About 3 out of every 100 people have some form of scoliosis, though for many people it's not much of a problem [Please register to see this link
Register] If a scoliosis curve gets worse, the spine will also rotate or twist, in addition
to curving side to side [Please register to see this link
Register] More girls than boys have severe scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine [Please register to see this link
Register] Humans need these spinal curves to help the upper body maintain proper balance and alignment over the pelvis [Please register to see this link
Register] The kid can usually go back to school about a month after surgery, then return to some activities in 3 or 4 months, and most normal activities after 6 to 12 months [Please register to see this link
Register] Then, a doctor or nurse will look at your back to see if your spine curves
[Please register to see this link
Register] A metal rod in a kid's back? It may sound strange, but that rod has an important job while the bones are growing together [Please register to see this link
Register] It holds the spine in place during healing [Please register to see this link
Register] (Idiopathic is a fancy word for unknown cause [Please register to see this link
Register] They are meant to be left in the back permanently [Please register to see this link
Register] Some curvature in the neck, upper trunk and lower trunk is normal [Please register to see this link
Register] It involves bending over, with straight knees, and reaching your fingertips toward your feet or the floor
[Please register to see this link
Register] All spines have curves [Please register to see this link
Register] If a doctor says you have scoliosis, then the doctor and your parent can talk about whether treatment is necessary, and then talk to you about what happens next [Please register to see this link
Register] Braces are meant to be used while the spine is still growing, especially when it grows very fast during the "adolescent growth spurt [Please register to see this link
Register] However, when there are abnormal side-to-side (lateral) curves in the spinal column, we refer to this as scoliosis [Please register to see this link
Register] The X-ray image to the right shows what scoliosis looks like
[Please register to see this link
Register] If your child has scoliosis, the view from behind may reveal one or more abnormal curves [Please register to see this link
Register] Someone who gets this operation will be given anesthesia, a kind of medicine that puts a person to sleep and prevents pain during the operation [Please register to see this link
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TBR: Inside the List
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