Scoliosis in Babies

When you think of scoliosis--or the curving of the spine--you may imagine teenagers lining up in gym class so a nurse can check their backs. Teenagers are the one of the most likely groups to develop scoliosis, but what if your baby's spine doesn't seem straight? Is it possible she has scoliosis? Here's what every parent needs to know.

What is Scoliosis?

• Scoliosis is a curving of the spine, found mostly in children and teenagers. If you stand behind most people and look at their spine, it looks like a straight line. If you do the same with someone who has scoliosis, their spine curves to look more like the letter C or S. Scoliosis affects about 3 percent of the population.

Can Babies Have Scoliosis?

• Although affecting only about 1 percent of all children, infantile idiopathic scoliosis (sometimes called "infantile scoliosis" or "idiopathic scoliosis") affects only children and babies under the age of 3. Most children who will develop this type of scoliosis do so by the age of 6 months.

Diagnosis

• Most babies see their pediatrician on such a regular basis that infantile scoliosis is usually discovered during a routine exam. If your pediatrician thinks your baby may have scoliosis, she'll recommend an exam by a neurologic specialist. In addition, a MRI of the spine must be conducted to rule out the presence of another disease. X-rays, allowing for more exacting measurements of the spine's curve, should also be given.

Treatment

• In most cases, infantile scoliosis goes away without treatment, however, depending upon severity and the likelihood of a worsening curve, treatment may include physical therapy, wearing a brace or surgery.

  Mild curving usually self-corrects, and appropriate treatment involves only observation or observation and physical therapy to ensure this is the case. Observation usually includes periodic X-rays, as well as physical exams by an orthopedic surgeon, until well into the teenage years.

  Babies with moderate to severe curving are usually treated with casting and bracing. Casting involves changing a fiberglass cast every 6 to 12 weeks, gradually correcting the curvature of the spine. In such cases, treatment generally ends by 18 months of age. Casting is typically followed by bracing, which helps maintain the corrected spine shape. Braces are generally worn for two or three years.

  In the most severe cases, surgery is required. During surgery, metal rods are attached to the spine to correct its curve. In addition, a spinal fusion may be done, where at least two vertebrae are fused together with bridges consisting of bone grafts. Babies who undergo surgery are usually released from the hospital within a week.

Conclusion

• Fortunately, infantile idiopathic scoliosis is quite treatable. Almost all affected babies grow up without any physical limitations or serious developmental delays. Parents who have babies with scoliosis can expect their children to have an active and healthy life.