By Dr Kristin Webb (Chiropractor) - Nomad Chiropractic
What is Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis? Should you have your child screened?
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis is defined as a coronal spinal curve greater than 10 degrees in children aged 10-18 years old. Idiopathic means there is no known cause.
75% of scoliosis cases are idiopathic.
Risk of progression is high in adolescent cases due to their rapid growth phase.
There are many hypothesized contributing factors but none that have been confirmed.
Its prevalence is approximately 4 out of 100 adolescents.
Why should you have your child screened for scoliosis?
Helps to diagnose it early in which there is opportunity to slow or prevent curve progression.
Interventions such as tailored exercise plans and/or bracing have been proven to reduce the risk of curve progression.
What will a Chiropractor do if they find a scoliosis?
If we find in our testing your child has a scoliosis in most cases we will suggest imaging.
In children an EOS scan is the first choice as it is a full body scan & lower radiation dosage than typical x-rays.
The benefits of a full body is that we are able to clearly see the curve progressions, take accurate measurements & importantly determine the cause of their scoliosis.
In most adolescents, the cause of scoliosis is idiopathic, meaning it is not known.
There are no congenital abnormalities, pathological conditions or structural variances which have led the spine to develop a scoliosis.
With imaging we are also able to see how far the child’s spine is from maturity which would mean their growing period has ended. During this time the risk of progression of scoliosis is higher as the growth plates in their bones are still open to allow growth.
Imaging allows us to have an objective baseline & measurements to compare to when we re-image in 6-12 months if indicated. Comparing the images over this time period allows us to flag children at high risk of progressions.
When I say rapid progression, I mean research shows scoliosis can progress by up to 60 degrees within one year in an adolescent. It so important to identify it early to ensure proper management.
Chiropractors can monitor progression, prescribe a tailored exercise program & help manage symptomatic presentations secondary to the curve asymmetry such as headaches, neck & low back pain.
Idiopathic is the cause in 75% of cases of scoliosis and often occurs in adolescence.
Scoliosis can progress quite rapidly in adolescence and should be monitored regularly.
Risk factors for idiopathic scoliosis:
Female (10 to 1)
Family history - parents or siblings have scoliosis
Pre-menarche, 9-16 years old
Summary of what to look for in your child which may indicate they should be screen for scoliosis:
Uneven shoulders or hip heights
Head tilting to one side
Family history of scoliosis
Family history of autoimmune conditions written above.
Female
Pre-puberty
Complain of headaches or neck pain.
Rapid growth spurt/growing pains.
I think every child should be screened for scoliosis as there is much that can be done to help prevent curve progression.
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Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman NSW is a Family Wellness Chiropractic clinic.
Chiropractors: Dr Lucy Bartlett, Dr Kristin Webb & Dr Sandy Ghobrial are Family Wellness practitioners with a focus on paedatrics and pregnancy care.
For more information from the chiropractic management perspective of scoliosis please don’t hesitate to contact the chiropractor near you, or us on 0491 064 117. Book a consult online at: www.nomadchiropractic.com.au