Scoliosis is a deformity in which the front of the spine is shifted from the midline, and is the most common deformity in adolescents. When a child is diagnosed with scoliosis, many parents feel “overwhelmed” and think that if the child does not undergo surgery, he or she will have no relationship with “beauty” and may even have a life-threatening condition. The first hospital of Sun Yat-sen University spine surgery Su Peiqiang researcher said that the majority of scoliosis is mild to moderate, is not the need for surgery, parents should pay attention to the problem of scoliosis, but do not panic. Children with mild or moderate scoliosis can wear braces and do more “symmetrical exercises” to effectively control the process of scoliosis. Only 1% of scoliosis requires surgery: A girl was diagnosed with 18 degrees of scoliosis at the age of 14, and was rechecked at the age of 16 at 25 degrees, and burst into tears on the spot, feeling no point in living. Researcher Su Peiqiang told reporters that he was touched by this scene. In recent years, the media has done a lot of reports on the dangers of scoliosis, which has made the public aware of the problem of adolescent scoliosis and has drawn attention to it, but also made some people panic. In fact, the vast majority of adolescents with scoliosis are mild to moderate and do not require surgery, and only about 1% require surgery, which means that of the 100 adolescents with scoliosis, only one may require surgery. For children with mild to moderate scoliosis, it is often recommended to wear a corrective brace to slow and control the progression of the condition. Some parents are concerned that their child is wearing a brace and has progressed 5 degrees in two years, and if they don’t have surgery will it keep progressing until 60 or 90 degrees. Su Peiqiang answered, “No, it won’t!” Since the growth and development of the skeleton is generally completed and set after the age of 18 (girls are more likely to be 16 or 17), the chances of scoliosis will be significantly reduced after this age, and the scoliosis that is already there will generally not continue to worsen. After a physician’s evaluation, most children who use braces do not need to continue using them at this age. An international long-term follow-up study suggests that – for patients with scoliosis detected at age 10-12 – the likelihood of progression is 25% for angles less than 19°; 60% for angles between 20° and 29°; 90% for angles between 30° and 59°; and nearly 100% for angles greater than 60°. 100% probability of progression. In patients with scoliosis found at 13-15 years of age, the likelihood of progression was 10% for angles less than 19°; 40% for 20°-29°; 70% for 30°-59°; and 90% for greater than 60°; in patients with scoliosis found at 16 years of age, there was basically no further progression for angles less than 19°; 10% for 20°-29°; and The likelihood of progression was 30% for 30°-59° and 70% for >60°. These results suggest that the likelihood of progression of scoliosis decreases with increasing skeletal maturity; however, scoliosis with excessive angulation still has a greater likelihood of progression. Don’t operate just for “aesthetic reasons”: Mild scoliosis generally has no impact on life as long as it is detected and treated early. However, severe scoliosis not only affects the appearance of the patient, but also makes the patient more prone to back pain, especially after exertion; the muscle tolerance is poor and cannot withstand high-intensity exercise, which affects motor function; more seriously, it affects the function of internal organs, such as breathing due to poor thoracic mobility. Clinically, it is generally accepted that scoliosis over 60 degrees begins to affect cardiopulmonary function but can still be adapted to daily life; over 120 degrees, the restricted cardiopulmonary begins to have an impact on daily life. Surgical treatment is to slowly straighten and fix the curved spine through techniques such as internal fixation with titanium nails and rods, which can control the continued development of scoliosis and reduce the possibility of back pain and pressure on organs such as the heart and lungs due to increased deformity. Some children with scoliosis of about 30 or 40 degrees do not have any discomfort, but parents think it affects the aesthetics, so they propose to do surgery. Su Peiqiang believes that surgery is not worth the cost just for the sake of “aesthetics”. Scoliosis surgery is more destructive to muscle tissue, and the area of the spine through which the nail rod passes is fused and immobile. This tends to manifest itself as the patient ages and will affect the quality of life after middle age. Therefore, whether to do the surgery needs to be strictly controlled by the specialist. Symmetrical exercises are appropriate for children with scoliosis: What intervention should be done for most children with mild to moderate scoliosis? It is generally accepted that if the child has a scoliosis angle of 20 degrees or less, regular review and standing full spine x-rays every 3-6 months are all that is needed. If the curvature of the spine is between 20-40 degrees, it means that the child’s scoliosis has a tendency to continue to develop, and these children need to wear corrective braces and apply force to the side of the scoliosis to “straighten” the spine using physical methods. Some children have scoliosis at a very young age, which suggests that the progression of scoliosis may be more severe, and these children should wear orthotic braces “prophylactically” when they are within 20 degrees. In addition to wearing orthotic braces, children with scoliosis should pay attention to strengthening their muscles in order to enhance the protective effect of the muscles on the spine. It is important to remind children with scoliosis to choose symmetrical exercises, such as breaststroke, sit-ups, push-ups, etc., to help maintain symmetrical muscle balance. Avoid choosing asymmetrical sports, such as playing badminton and table tennis. Scoliosis (especially severe scoliosis) is more likely to occur in girls, and the scoliosis is more likely to be aggravated in women. Girls have the highest incidence and fastest progression of scoliosis within two years before and after their first menstrual period, and parents should pay special attention to the fact that sometimes it is already severe after one winter (when more clothes are not noticed). How can I check if my child has scoliosis? Early stage scoliosis is not obvious and not easily detected. Parents can do some simple tests at home to help their child. If you take off your shirt and do a 90-degree bow while standing with both lower limbs straight, and feel both hands to the knee, there is no problem as long as the back is flat and the midline of the spine is basically a straight line when touched. If you find that the back is asymmetrical, high on one side and low on the other, you should promptly go to a regular hospital to take an X-ray and then ask your doctor to evaluate the degree of scoliosis for further treatment. Since the spine is located in the mid-axis of the body and covered by other tissues, the scoliosis reflected by the X-ray is generally much more serious than the physical examination, and parents are advised not to procrastinate.