Scoliosis Awareness

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month, and at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, we see 465 patients each year with scoliosis - a condition where the spine has a side to side curvature greater than 10 degrees. Pediatric Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner Leslie Rhodes, MSN, PNP-BC, says that because scoliosis causes no pain, it can be hard to detect with an untrained eye.

Signs of Scoliosis
Most scoliosis patients that Le Bonheur sees are referred by their primary care physician who has detected a slight curve at the child's annual exam. But there are a few things parents can do to watch for scoliosis.

Rhodes says to have your child stand up straight and look at his or her shoulders and hips. If the spine is curved, one shoulder might be higher than the other. Hips might might be unaligned, too. You can also have your child bend over at the waist while standing to look for a slight hump near the ribcage. This is also a sign of scoliosis.

"I tell my patients that having scoliosis doesn't hinder you from being a normal kid," said Rhodes. "They can still play sports and do all the things their friends do."

Treatment
However, scoliosis must be monitored over time. The most common type of scoliosis does not require any treatment. Curvatures ranging from 10-25 degrees are observed frequently with X-rays to assess for curve progression. If the curve progresses to 25 degrees or greater, a brace - worn 23 hours a day - is the first line of treatment. Though it won't fix the spine's curve, it might prevent it from worsening. If the curvature worsens to 50 degrees or greater, surgery might be necessary.

Visit our website to learn more about the Campbell Clinic Spine Center at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.