To be absolutely petrified over scoliosis...

[Emlou07]

I have it. Only discovered a few months ago.

Just been to the drs today and have been told that my daughter has it too. Waiting for a referral for X-rays etc.

Is it common for both mother and child to have it? Dr said it's not a gene, but having it means children are more likely... I suppose I've just answered my own question, but I can't find a straight answer on google..

The thought of her having a back brace 23 hours a day or even an op is tearing me apart. The guilt I'm feeling is immense!

Not a genetic link but when I did children's orthopaedic nursing albeit many years ago the possibility of a 'familial' connection was being researched.
So sorry you're going through this.
There are many Scoliosis Support groups all over the UK as I'm sure you know.
Either ask the doctor or your physio or even just have a google.
Best wishes.

I have had it from birth and had an operation to stabilize the curve when I was 14. they put some metal rods in then to support it to stop it getting worse. While the op was painful in recovery, I dealt with it and I have been so fortunate that I have been able to lead a totally normal life, no problems with any sport or anything and I keep pretty fit.

Is yours noticeable OP? It is hereditary to some extent I think. It is also often a part of other syndromes. Please try not to worry though, until you have some more information.

Hi, I know I'm a bit late...

I think scoliosis runs in my family, because three members of mine have it and they all found out in the same year.

DD has scoliosis. Had a lot of physiotherapy to help her muscles cope with being pulled out of place/help support the spine. She's now 16 and is fine. Admittedly she was fortunate that hers was not that severe but not all scoliosis requires surgery or braces.

You will need to see what happens as your DC grows. If the curvature isn't too extreme then good physiotherapy may be all they need. Don't despair op, treatment gets better every year.

Absolutely! It’s very different in each case and you can’t make assumptions. Be glad it’s something that there’s a lot of good research and work about. Take a breath and wait for the detailed diagnosis, which may well not be all that you fear. I was where you are now, and it didn’t turn out as I expected at all.

My son has a scoliosis but it's not genetic. He had a stroke. Like anything it depends on the severity as to what treatment is offered. It usually starts with physio and an orthopaedic review but also other things such a raised insole on one side to throw the weight etc can be beneficial . It doesn't necessarily mean spinal ops or back braces.

DS had a scoliosis, quite high. He was monitored and X-rayed annually until he was 11, when it decided to move a few degrees. So he had surgery and has titanium rods either side to keep it in place. 23 now and it's still staying put. I remember it as a crappy few weeks while we got him through the surgery, but we got through.
When DH had some back problems it was discovered that he too has a mild scoliosis, although much lower on his spine. He does a lot of core strengthening exercises to try to avoid future problems.

I have scoliosis but through disability rather than genetic. I have regular monitoring, scans and especially when I was younger there was a lot of physio to help with back pain and strengthening muscles. I also had insoles in one shoe to try and balance out my back. I didn't need surgery so try not to worry as surgery/back braces doesn't happen in every case, there are lots of treatment options.

I work on a peadiatric ward that does Scoliosis surgery. Yes it's massive surgery. But most girls get going pretty quickly. Usually stay in hospital for 6 days post op, and are off school for 6 weeks. I personally would go for surgery than having to wear a brace for that length of time.

I have scoliosis, very low - so my hips are uneven. We think my mum and Nan have the same type. For us, it’s rather mild, and I was the only one where it was noticed during a routine school medical.

When I have been for monitoring I’ve been told that braces aren’t usually the done thing for most people. I think physio and exercises are far more likely (although it depends on your case, of course).

My scoliosis developed in my teens. I have a double curvature, my right shoulder blade is sort of rounded and my right hip is higher and more rounded than my left. It can be noticeable depending on what I wear but I never needed treatment and it hasn't impacted on my life at all. The doctor told me I should watch out for it in my kids, especially the girls, and my two dds do have it. They both only have one curve, the rounded hip, but it's not as noticeable as mine. It's not an issue for either of them at all. Try not to worry op, as pp said scoliosis does not always require surgery/treatment.

My scoliosis developed in my teens. I have a double curvature, my right shoulder blade is sort of rounded and my right hip is higher and more rounded than my left. It can be noticeable depending on what I wear but I never needed treatment and it hasn't impacted on my life at all. The doctor told me I should watch out for it in my kids, especially the girls, and my two dds do have it. They both only have one curve, the rounded hip, but it's not as noticeable as mine. It's not an issue for either of them at all. Try not to worry op, as pp said scoliosis does not always require surgery/treatment.

I have it and had it operated on when I was 15 (nearly 40 now). I can honestly say, apart from the odd dress looking a bit strange (one of my ribs still sticks out slightly) and not being able to go jogging or do absolutely everything at the gym (but still being able to do most things) it really doesn’t feature in my life. The scars are sometimes a talking point but I imagine these are less now as procedures have d developed. I don’t mean to sound flippant but honestly, bar a few weeks recovery I don’t think it’s the worst thing to ever happen.

Oops sorry for double post, phone is playing up.

My daughter has scoliosis. We discovered it when she was almost 3, she had a 30 degree curve and by the time they did an MRI a few months later she had a 45 degree curve and her ribs had twisted. She was put into a back brace for 23 hours a day. I cried and grieved for the little girl that I thought I was loosing and who wouldn't be able to dance and play like she used to. She however adapted and was ok. She was 11 ish when they decided she could stop wearing it in the day and just wear it over night. She was almost 15 when they decided she didn't need to wear it anymore. She now has a12 degree curve and they class it as a normal back. They said the brace wouldn't make it better but would stop it getting worse. It did make it better and thanks to her resilience she was able to not need surgery and can live the same as everyone else (they had said that if they fused it when she was little she would never be able to carry children etc). It was a very frightening diagnosis initially but actually was not impossible to live with. On a practical note, we used fruit of the loom t shirts under her brace to stop it rubbing because they have no side seams, we just bought 10/15 in bulk and cut the sleeves off and she wore normal clothes in bigger sizes on top