Wednesday, Septembder 5, 2001
|
Wednesday, Septembder 5, 2001 |
|
Scoliosis screening: a middle school mystery revealed Remember when you were in school and everyone had to line up "single file" and march down the hall to the nurse's office or gymnasium so that she could "check your posture"? Those days may be just a distant memory now, but how many of us really knew what this middle school ritual was really all about? As is the case with most mysteries, this one has a very logical explanation. The goal of this yearly ritual is to detect lateral curvature of the spine, or a condition called scoliosis. This spinal disorder frequently occurs in children between the ages of 10 and 15, and may run in families, meaning that brothers and sisters of an affected child should also be checked for this condition. Approximately 7 to 10 children in every 100 could develop Scoliosis, and 1 to 3 of those children will require treatment of some kind. If this condition is detected early and appropriate treatment is received, progressive deformities can be prevented. Scoliosis occurs more frequently in girls than in boys, and in 80 percent of the cases the cause is unknown. In some children the curvature may not progress. But even minor cases still need to be monitored by a physician so that any changes can be readily detected. The screening process is a simple one. The child's back is observed in the standing and forward bending positions. The more obvious signs of scoliosis are: One shoulder higher than the other. One hip higher than the other. One leg which seems shorter than the other (child walks with a limp or leaning to one side). Protrusion of one side of the upper back. Bones of the spine not in a straight line. The school screening process is by no means meant to be diagnostic. If any curvature is suspected, the child's parent is notified by a public health nurse and is given a form to take to their family physician to have the child further evaluated. Please also note that if parents prefer not to have their child evaluated, they can indicate this on the permission slip and return it to the school. This year, scoliosis screening-related activities (beginning with sending home parental permission /information sheets with children) are scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 10. If you have any questions or concerns about scoliosis or the screening process, please feel free to call the Fayette County Health Department at 770-461-1178, ext. 5416. The staff would be happy to help you.
|
||