Scoliosis facts for kids

Scoliosis is a medical condition where your spine, which is the stack of bones in your back, has a sideways curve. This curve often looks like an "S" or a "C" shape. For some people, the curve stays the same. For others, it might get bigger over time. Mild scoliosis usually doesn't cause many problems. But if the curve is severe, it can make breathing difficult and cause pain.

Doctors often find out if someone has scoliosis by using X-rays.

What is Scoliosis?

Your spine is made up of many small bones called vertebrae. Normally, these bones stack up straight from your neck down to your lower back. With scoliosis, the spine curves to the side. This curve can be gentle or quite noticeable. It might look like an "S" shape or a "C" shape when seen from the back.

What Causes Scoliosis?

Most of the time, doctors don't know exactly why someone gets scoliosis. It's thought to be a mix of things, including your genes (what you inherit from your family) and things in your environment. If other people in your family have had scoliosis, you might have a higher chance of getting it too.

Who Gets Scoliosis?

Scoliosis most often appears in kids and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 20. While both boys and girls can get it, it's more common for girls to have scoliosis that needs treatment.

How Scoliosis is Found

If a doctor thinks someone might have scoliosis, they will usually do a physical check-up. They might ask you to bend forward to see your spine. To confirm the diagnosis and see how big the curve is, doctors use X-rays. These pictures help them measure the curve and decide the best way to help.

Images for kids

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  A 20th-century illustration of a severe case of an "S" shaped scoliosis

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  A Chêneau brace achieving correction from 56° to 27° Cobb angle

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  Female with lateral curvature of the spine

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  A 14–15th-century woman who had severe scoliosis, and died at about 35 years, Limburgs Museum Venlo

See also

In Spanish: Escoliosis para niños