Scoliosis | Akron Children's Hospital

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is when the vertebrae (the small bones in the spine) form a curved line instead of being straight. Sometimes they also rotate (twist), like a corkscrew. This can cause health problems.

Although the spine is sometimes called "the backbone," it's not just one bone. It's made of lots of small bones (called vertebrae) that are connected by a type of elastic tissue called cartilage. This gives people the flexibility to bend, stretch, balance, and even walk.

Small curves usually don't cause problems. But a curve that gets worse can be bad for a person's health. Health care providers treat scoliosis with back braces or surgery when needed.

Types of Scoliosis

Orthopedic specialists (doctors and other providers who treat bone and muscle problems) group scoliosis into types. Knowing the type of scoliosis helps health care providers treat it.

Idiopathic scoliosis. This is the most common type of scoliosis. Kids can get it at any age, but most of the time it happens around puberty when a child goes through a growth spurt. Experts don't know exactly why this type of scoliosis develops, but it runs in some families.
Congenital scoliosis. This type of scoliosis happens when something goes wrong with the way some of the vertebrae developed while a baby was in the womb. The problem might not be noticed until a child goes through a growth spurt, usually around age 2 or between 8 and 13.
Scoliosis caused by a medical condition. Some kids develop scoliosis because they have a long-term medical problem that affects the muscles or skeletal system. For example, kids with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Marfan syndrome, or osteogenesis imperfecta may get scoliosis. Kids who have had tumors or growths on their spine may also develop scoliosis.

How Is Scoliosis Treated?

Small curves usually don't cause problems. But a curve that gets worse can be bad for a person's health. Very large curves can damage the joints and cause arthritis of the spine. Large curves can make the ribs rub against the pelvis, causing pain. Someone whose spine curves a lot might get lung problems.

If it looks like scoliosis could cause health problems, doctors will treat it with a back brace to prevent it from getting worse. In some cases, kids need surgery.

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Some of the Treatments for Scoliosis

Mehta Casting

Mehta Casting in Infants and Toddlers

Although Mehta casting is not a new technique for treating early-onset scoliosis in infants and toddlers, it has been shown to be very effective, particularly in correcting moderate scoliosis. The spine surgeons at Akron Children’s are specially trained in this casting technique, which was developed more than 50 years ago by British orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Min Mehta.

The process

Mehta casting allows for gentle, permanent correction of your child’s infantile scoliosis without surgery. If the curve of your child’s spine is more severe, Mehta casting may also be a good option to improve your child’s curve and delay surgery until your child is older.

Your child will be placed in the Mehta cast for one year. The cast will be changed every 6-12 weeks as your child grows. The first 2 years are a time of rapid growth for children, so the Mehta cast works by helping the spine straighten as it grows. This is also why early detection and treatment of infantile scoliosis are so important.

To make the process easier and more comfortable for your child, the cast is applied under general anesthesia. Special garments and padding will also be placed under the cast to keep your child as comfortable as possible. Akron Children’s is the only Northeast Ohio hospital that uses waterproof casts, which make it more convenient for you to bathe your child.

Once the curvature of your child’s spine is corrected, a brace will be used to make sure the spine stays in alignment as your child continues to grow.