Most schools perform a screen for scoliosis and kyphosis in 5th/8th or 6th/9th grade, but what about the 3 years in between? The best chances at improving your scoliosis are with bracing and the Schroth method before growth maturation. To ensure early detection you should keep an eye on your child on the years between screens. Here are some signs to monitor:
- Uneven shoulders
Scoliosis creates postural changes throughout the trunk, often resulting in uneven shoulders. You may notice your child’s backpack always sliding off the same shoulder. - Uneven waist creases
When looking at your child in a swim suit you may notice a larger indention or waist crease on one side. - A noticeable “rib hump”
If the child bends forward you may notice a prominence on one side of the back. This is created from the rotational component of scoliosis - Back pain complaints
Back pain comes in many forms with a variety of causes. The postural changes from scoliosis creates back pain in many patients diagnosed with scoliosis - Standing with unequal weight bearing
You may notice your child consistently stands leaning to one side with more weight on one leg than another.
If you are concerned about a possible scoliosis, take your child to their physician or local schroth physical therapist for a screen. Early intervention is the best intervention.
Comments
I like your advice to know what signs to monitor in your child so that you can notice any problems in the years between screens, such as back pain or a large indention or waist crease on one side. If you notice any of these issues, you’d probably want to visit a scoliosis professional as soon as possible. This could help you see if they’re developing scoliosis and figure out whether there are any treatment options that could help slow the problem or correct it.
Thank you Tiffany, we agree! As a Schroth center, we believe early intervention is the best intervention. Thank you for reading