The Beauty Battalion - Featuring Beauty In All Shapes & Sizes August 2017 | страница 30

Photo courtesy of Getty Images
T
FAMILY FEATURES
he leisurely days of summer are
over and it’s time to re-establish
healthy habits and back-to-school
routines. In addition to dental
checkups and annual physicals, pediatric
medical specialists recommend adding
a scoliosis screening to back-to-school
checklists.
Scoliosis, a musculoskeletal disorder
that causes an abnormal curvature of the
spine or backbone (sometimes resem­
bling an “S” or “C”), is the most com­
mon deformity of the spine, affecting
an estimated 6-9 million people in the
United States.
Certain conditions can cause scoliosis,
including muscle diseases, birth defects or
injuries, but the most common scoliosis
is idiopathic, which means the cause is
unknown. Scoliosis is most commonly
diagnosed between 10-15 years of age,
during periods of rapid growth. Although
10 percent of adolescents may have the
condition, not all will need care.
“Because most causes are unknown,
early detection through routine screen­
ings is key to providing the best possible
outcome,” said Amer Samdani, M.D.,
chief of surgery for Shriners Hospitals
for Children ® — Philadelphia.
Signs of scoliosis
Scoliosis can be hereditary and it is
recommended that a child who has
a relative with the condition receive
regular checkups for early detection
as they are 20 percent more likely to
develop the condition. Pediatric medical
experts recommend females be screened
at least twice at ages 10 and 12 and
males at either age 13 or 14.
Children and teens with scoliosis
rarely exhibit symptoms and sometimes
the condition is not obvious until the
curvature of the spine becomes severe.
In some cases, your child’s spine may
appear crooked or his or her ribs may
protrude. Some other markers to watch
for in a child who has scoliosis are:
n Clothes not fitting correctly or hems
not hanging evenly
n Uneven shoulders, shoulder blades,
ribs, hips or waist
n Entire body leaning to one side

n Appearance or texture of ribs sticking
up on one side when bending forward
n Head not properly centered over the body
Diagnosing scoliosis
When confirming a diagnosis of scolio­
sis, a doctor will confer with you and
your child while also reviewing your
child’s medical history; conducting a full
examination of your child’s back, chest,
feet, legs, pelvis and skin; taking a series
of X-rays; mea­suring curves; locating
the apex of the curve and identifying the
pattern of the curve.
Treatment of scoliosis
According to Samdani, there’s no one-
size-fits-all treatment for scoliosis.
“Some cases will just need to be
watched; others will need physical
therapy, bracing or surgical procedures
to stop the curve from progressing,” he
said. “At Shriners Hospitals, we offer the
whole spectrum of treatments under one
roof, all working together to get the best
possible outcome for each child. We also
treat children regardless of the families’
ability to pay, so that often provides a
huge relief to parents.”
For more information on scoliosis
screenings, care and treatment, visit
shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/scoliosis.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
A LIFE-CHANGING DISCOVERY
F
or competitive swimmer Katie
Lyons, a love for the sport
began at 7 months old when
her toes touched the pool’s water for
the first time. At age 4, Katie swam
in her first meet. Weeks before she
turned 10, her coach observed a rib
cage protrusion that looked similar
to another teammate who had been
diagnosed with scoliosis during
routine stretching exercises in
practice, and contacted her parents.
The next day, her pediatrician
confirmed the life-changing
discovery: she had scoliosis.
Within a week of being
diagnosed, Katie traveled to
Shriners Hospitals for Children
— Greenville, where she began
treatment for an “S” curvature
of her spine and was given a 98
percent chance of needing surgery.
She was fitted for a brace, which she
wore 20 hours a day and only took
off for swim practice and bathing.
Now on her fourth brace, she has
been removed from the surgical
list and hopes to continue to avoid
surgery as she goes through her
adolescent growth spurts; which for
many scoliosis patients, can send
their curves into fast-forward.
Early detection gave Katie a wider
range of options for the treatment
of her scoliosis. The strength of
her core and daily stretching from
swimming has helped manage and
lower her double curves.
App Helps Parents Detect Signs of Scoliosis
You can also check your child’s
spine for scoliosis with the help
of your smartphone through the
SpineScreen app – available for
free in the iTunes and Google
Play stores. For more infor­ma­
tion on the app and the impor­
tance of routine screening, visit
shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/
scoliosis.
To be used as an initial
at-home check, the app can
detect abnormal curves when
the phone is moved along a
child’s spine and determine if a
follow-up visit with a doctor is
necessary to confirm a potential
diagnosis. If your child has
scoliosis or any other orthopaedic
condition, Shriners Hospitals
for Children has 20 locations in
the United States, Mexico and
Canada that provide expert care.