Effectively Treating Scoliosis in Children

Do you notice that your child is unable to stand up straight, or has a noticeable lean to one side? It could be that your child has scoliosis. Treating scoliosis in children is one of the specialties of Vejthani Hospital.

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine into a ‘C’ or ‘S’-shape. Other symptoms of this condition include a noticeable difference in shoulder height, and the head is not centred on the body, or a difference in the length of the arms when your child tries to stand straight.

Scoliosis in children is a treatable condition. If you feel that your child may have scoliosis, please contact Vejthani hospital to explore your options of treatment.

Diagnosis of Scoliosis

Your doctor can accurately diagnose scoliosis with a variety of tests including x-rays, an MRI or a CT scan. Early diagnosis gives your child the best chance of leading a happy, normal life. If the condition is left untreated, it can lead to problems with their lungs and heart.

Many schools have staff who are trained to look for symptoms of scoliosis in children. If a staff member from your child’s school contacts with you with suspicions of scoliosis in your child, take their suspicions seriously and arrange to have your child examined by a doctor as soon as possible.

Effective Treatment of Scoliosis in Children

Upon your doctor’s positive diagnosis, they may recommend three options of treatment, depending on how severe the scoliosis is presenting, as well as your child’s age and overall health.

A mild case of the condition is often monitored for a while to see if the condition worsens. After a child reaches puberty, the curving of the spine often stops. If your doctor feels your child’s condition is severe enough, or if the spine doesn’t stop curving after the child reaches puberty, they may have to take active measures of treatment.

If your child is still growing after reaching puberty, they may need to wear a brace for some time to attempt to stop the advance of the condition. Braces generally are not cures for the condition; they only halt advancement.

The brace is a one-piece back brace made from various materials that will be custom-fitted to your child to treat their particular degree of the condition.

Surgical Treatment of Scoliosis in Children

If scoliosis advances to include a curvature of more than 45-degrees, your child may need to undergo surgery. The modern surgical procedure for treating scoliosis in children is referred to as Minimally Invasive scoliosis surgery.

In this procedure, the surgeon makes several small incisions along the spine and inserts a device called a tubular retractor. Rods with screws are then attached all along the spine that allows the doctor to straighten the spine.

The child is usually under general anaesthesia throughout the procedure. When they wake up, there are well on their way to living a healthy life without scoliosis.

For more information, contact

Spine Center, Vejthani Hospital
Call 02-7340000 or Ext. 5500
English Hotline: (+66)8-522 38888