Health Diaries > Got Bones?

Watching for Late-onset Scoliosis in Teens

Filed under: Scoliosis

Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, can strike as early as age five but usually shows itself in adolescence. It is more common in girls. Doctors, families, and schools need to watch for it as the child grows. Treatment depends on the severity of the curve and can include surgery, a brace, "watchful waiting", or a new procedure called stapling.

Late-onset idiopathic scoliosis -- or LIS -- is the most common form of the disease and is generally diagnosed after the age of 10. The condition, which has no known cause other than genetics, affects 3 percent of children between the ages of 8 and 16, and about 60,000 teens in the United States.

Posted by laura on August 8, 2006 12:07 PM
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