An Overview of Scoliosis Treatment
Many children who are sent to the doctor by a school
scoliosis screening program have very mild spinal curves that do not need treatment. However, when a child does need scoliosis treatment, the doctor may send the child to an orthopedic spine specialist.
Doctors will suggest the best scoliosis treatment for each patient based on:
- The patient's age
- How much more he or she is likely to grow
- The degree and pattern of the curve
- The type of scoliosis.
Doctors may recommend different scoliosis treatments, which include:
- Observation
- Bracing
- Surgery.
Observation as a Scoliosis Treatment
Doctors will use observation as scoliosis treatment when the patient is still growing (is skeletally immature) and has an idiopathic curve of less than 25 degrees. Observation consists of re-examinations every four to six months.
Observation is recommended for very mild scoliosis because curves under 20 degrees will sometimes improve on its own. Approximately one in five cases of observation treatment will not improve, and only 3 in 1,000 will worsen enough to need scoliosis treatment.
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