What to Do If Your Kids Has Spinal Issues
By Admin | July 09, 2023
As a parent, you’re always attuned to your kid’s health. But should you be worried when your kid complains of back pain? Or maybe you’ve noticed that your child’s shoulders or hips look uneven when wearing a bathing suit. Should that be checked out?
It turns out there are common spinal issues parents should know about so they can seek early treatment. “The most common spinal condition in kids is scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine,” says David H. Clements III, MD, professor of orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery and director of the Scoliosis Program at Cooper Bone and Joint Institute at Cooper University Health Care. “We can do a simple exam to look at a child’s spine to see if it’s symmetrical and determine appropriate treatment based on the degree of the curve.” Here’s what else to know about common spinal issues:
WHAT IS SCOLIOSIS?
Although scoliosis often runs in families, it’s not really known why the S- or C-shaped curve develops. “Scoliosis often appears when kids are around ages 10 or 11, but most kids are so flexible that they’re not even aware of it,” says Clements. “It typically comes on slowly, and kids aren’t usually in pain.” It affects about 2 to 3 percent of the population, but girls are eight times more likely than boys to progress to a curve that requires treatment.
Mark Rieger, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and the founding partner at The Pediatric Orthopedic Center in Cedar Knolls, says most cases of scoliosis don’t require treatment. “We see a lot of patients who just require observation, fortunately,” Rieger says. “There are fewer surgical cases being done because early intervention is so effective in suppressing curve progression.” Using a comprehensive approach of monitoring by a physician, getting physical therapy, making sure the patient is getting enough vitamin D and calcium, if needed, and early bracing are key.
Scoliosis is usually diagnosed by a physical exam and then confirmed by X-ray. Typically, the curve is monitored by X-ray and exams every six months to see if it’s worsening. At The Pediatric Orthopedic Center, a special EOS X-ray is used which requires far less radiation than a...(More)
For more info please read, What to Do If Your Kids Has Spinal Issues, by New Jersey Family
