Scoliosis is when the spine curves to the side. It is not a disease. It just means that in an often otherwise healthy person the spine is curved or twisted. It is not infectious or contagious. It does not develop because of anything a person did or did not do. Scoliosis can happen at any age. However, the most common time is around age 10 to 15 to coincide with adolescence. In most cases the cause is unknown. Sometimes the scoliosis is due to a neuromuscular condition, such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy. Scoliosis can also develop as part of a syndrome, such as Marfan syndrome. Scoliosis can affect a person’s appearance because when the spine bends to the side it can also twist. This twisting can pull the ribcage out of place. The ribcage can then sometimes form a bulge on the back and cause a shoulder blade to stick out. One hip can be higher than the other. Kyphosis is another condition often associated with scoliosis where the spine develops a forward angle as a result of irregular growth of the vertebrae.

Having scoliosis does not stop most children doing what they always do. If they are not in pain and are under specialist care they can go on as they always have. Exercising and taking part in sports is a good idea and helps to keep them healthy and flexible.

For children with significant scoliosis, it may be recommended they wear a brace. There are different types of braces, but they are most commonly worn under their clothes for 16-24 hours a day to try to control the curve increasing.

Wearing a brace should not affect a child at school. However, there may be times when the child needs to see their specialist, brace provider, or physiotherapist. These appointments may be during school time. Sometimes, young people worry about their friends seeing their brace and the effect this will have on their school and social life. Braces should not limit what a patient is able to do but in reality, habits may change when wearing a brace. Children do report bracing being uncomfortable, especially as they get used to it.

Sometimes, if a curve reaches a large size, a specialist may recommend spinal fusion surgery to correct the curve. The general guideline for a return to school is around 6 weeks but some people feel well enough to go back more quickly. Some people arrange for a phased return to school after surgery so that the child can build up their stamina. Many children will be back to doing most of their normal activities by around 6 months after the operation, but some activities such as football and other contact sports should be avoided for longer.

Scoliosis does not affect a student’s ability to learn but wearing a brace or having physical limitations can make a student feel self-conscious or embarrassed. Encourage students to participate in all activities they’re up to and be understanding of any discomfort or tiredness they feel.

Schools should be aware that students with scoliosis may unfortunately be more vulnerable to bullying, low self-esteem, and mental health struggles. Schools should watch for warning signs of this and implement anti-bullying procedures to protect the student.

Depending on the degree of scoliosis, students may see several medical specialists. Allowing extra time to complete assignments and sending work home while a student recovers from surgery can help them keep up and not feel overwhelmed.

Students with scoliosis may:

• Feel embarrassed about having scoliosis or wearing a brace
• Miss a lot of class time if surgery is needed
• Need extra time to complete assignments and make up tests
• Benefit from some extra accommodations like extra time to get to and from classes while hallways are less crowded, a space to leave extra books so that they are not carrying an unnecessarily heavy backpack, allowance to get up from their chair periodically to stretch
• Need to be excused from physical education and sports
• Need to bring a cushion with them to make sitting in class more comfortable