Rehabilitologist explained how to notice scoliosis in a child and why you can not rush it with verticalization

Scoliosis in the early stages often proceeds without pain and complaints, so parents may not notice changes in the child's posture. Rehabilitologist, deputy chief doctor for medical examination and rehabilitation of the 16th City Children's Polyclinic Irina Yakushik on the air of the talk show "PRO HEALTH" on the YouTube channel "SEE AND LIVE" told what the posture consists of, what signs should alert and how the spine, feet and teeth are connected, writes sb.by.

What shapes posture

Posture is a familiar pose, but there is another important point: what forms it? We have bone balance - how the vertebrae stand relative to each other, what is their shape, how the intervertebral discs behave. The connective tissue system that holds it all together. A muscular system that pulls everything together and holds it relative to each other. And the motor stereotype is our habits to move in ordinary life, explained Irina Yakushik.

Symptoms of scoliosis

- Unfortunately, in the early stages, with scoliosis of the first degree, as a rule, there are no complaints, and parents themselves rarely notice a violation of posture. To see this, it is enough to put the child with his back to himself and draw a conditional perpendicular to the floor, relative to which to assess posture. The head is normally raised evenly, shoulders should be at the same level, shoulder blades are symmetrical. If one shoulder blade is separated from the spine, sticks out or both lag behind like wings, these are signs of a violation. The waist triangles are clearly visible with lumbar scoliosis. We examine the posture from the side: there is a stooped back, a round back, a flat back. Normally, the spine has curves forward and backward, and when they are overly pronounced, this is also a violation, the doctor said.

Influence on other organs

- Depending on the magnitude of the deformity, especially with severe chest scoliosis, this will affect the organs of the chest. This is a violation of lung ventilation, some cardiac disorders that will not be clearly manifested, but certain weakness and fatigue will be. The spine does not exist separately from the entire musculoskeletal system. It continues vertically from the feet to the temporomandibular joint. Therefore, it is difficult to say that we have only scoliosis and no more problems, the rehabilitator noted.

Connection to feet and teeth

- They can go in parallel. The risk of developing scoliosis is greatly increased if there are severe problems with the feet and dental problems with the dentition. It's the three that go together: scoliosis, feet, back. Without normal support, if the feet poorly perform the spring function, sooner or later problems will arise. For example, shortening one leg. Normal for an adult up to a centimeter. But if a little more, when walking, we load one side more, automatically throughout the chain pelvic distortion is possible, and the spine will compensate, come to a vertical position. First one arc, then perhaps a second arc in a higher department. And the teeth continue the chain from the spine. Sometimes in adults, problems with the temporomandibular joint, with chewing occur because there is a pronounced scoliosis. If there is scoliosis, dental problems are not excluded, but not mandatory, added Irina Yakushik.

Newborn posture

- Today in our country it is mandatory to examine a surgeon or orthopedist until 2-3 months of age. What can damage the spine of a newborn? It is important not only the condition of the muscles, but also our habits, motor stereotypes. Now there is a tendency to raise the child early, seat, vertically wear. If earlier the swaddling was tight enough, it was a rigid posture, and the child was preferred to wear on the arm, now more and more often you see parents who just support the child, and he hangs on his arm in an upright position. It's a load, we're overstraining our muscles. We want the baby to sit down faster, and we try to put it on the pillow. That's not good. When the muscles are enough, the child will sit down and stand up. Don't rush him here. You can help, but do not rush, the doctor stressed.

Should I swaddle

- From my point of view, swaddling is probably not necessary after all. But there is no need to rush to verticalization by all means. Let it lie more than it is worth, said Irina Yakushik.

Dangerous period and rapid growth

- Normally, the baby sits by 6 months by himself, at 7-8 gets up, by the year approximately walks. A small range of corridors is possible, but these are landmarks. Does scoliosis cause rapid growth? Definitely yes, because there are periods of rapid growth extension in children: 6-7 years and adolescence, approximately 10-14 years. At this age, after a rapid jump in growth, the spine does not have time, the muscle frame for growth. And we see the rapid appearance of scoliosis with sufficiently large values on the radiograph, the rehabilitator concluded.

Watch the project “PRO HEALTH” on the YouTube channel “Watch and Live” every Sunday at 12:00. Specialists in various fields will answer popular questions of concern to everyone in simple language and with humor.