Does Scoliosis Have to Be Treated?

Many children who are sent to the doctor by a school
scoliosis screening program have very mild spinal curves
that do not need treatment. When treatment is needed, the
doctor may send the child to an orthopaedic spine specialist.
The doctor will suggest the best 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, and the
type of scoliosis. The doctor may recommend observation,
bracing, or surgery.
•     Observation – Doctors follow patients without
treatment and re-examine them every 4 to 6 months
when the patient is still growing (is skeletally
im mature) and has an idiopathic curve of less than
25 degrees.
Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents
7•     Bracing – Doctors advise patients to wear a brace to
stop a curve from getting any worse when the patient:
— is still growing and has an idiopathic curve that is
more than 25 to 30 degrees
— has at least 2 years of growth remaining, has
an idiopathic curve that is between 20 and
29 degrees, and, if a girl, has not had her first
 menstrual period
— is still growing and has an idiopathic curve
between 20 and 29 degrees that is getting worse.
As a child nears the end of growth, the indications
for bracing will depend on how the curve affects
the child’s appearance, whether the curve is getting
worse, and the size of the curve.
•     Surgery – Doctors advise patients to have surgery to
correct a curve or stop it from worsening when the
patient is still growing, has a curve that is more than
45 degrees, and has a curve that is getting worse.