Dharmafrog

Scoliosis Awareness Month

June is Scoliosis Awareness month.

Having Scoliosis myself, which I have shared with you before, I want to do everything I can to show the importance of Scoliosis Awareness and screening. I am a firm believer that the more you know, the more you can help, and the earlier you are aware of a problem, the more prepared you are to fix it.

In my opinion schools do not screen early enough, currently they are screened in seventh or eighth grade. I was diagnosed in fourth grade and there were signs as early as first grade. So I’m not sure we should leave it up to the schools to monitor this.

Scoliosis, is a curvature (of varying degrees) of the spine. (of varying shapes) It occurs more in girls than in boys, during adolescence and rapid growth spurts. With my history I know how important it is to screen my kids often, but every child should be screened throughout his/her life, whether there is a family history or not.

It only takes about a minute and can be completed in 3 easy steps, pain free!

1. Sitting in a chair have your child stand in front of you, with his back facing you.
(Check for one hip or shoulder that is higher than the other, or leaning more to one side than the other.)

2. Have your child put their arms straight out with palms pressed together (like they are preparing to dive)

3. Have your child bend forward keeping their legs straight.
(Look for one side of the upper back higher than the other, or a shoulder blade that sticks out more that the other)

*Over all, you want to make sure that the left side of your child’s neck, shoulders, ribs and hips are even with the right side, both when standing and bending forward.*

If your child or yourself, have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible. There are treatments that can correct the curvature and prevent further complications.
I am living, breathing proof.