Scoliosis in Children & Teens
A scoliosis diagnosis in a child or teen can be worrying for parents. At Two Sparrows, we support families navigating this diagnosis with care focused on comfort, function, and working alongside your child's broader medical care.
What we commonly see
Visible curvature, uneven shoulders, or asymmetry noticed by a parent, school screening, or pediatrician
Back discomfort or fatigue, especially with prolonged activity
Concerns from parents about monitoring and next steps after a new diagnosis
Understanding Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common type diagnosed in this age group, and understanding its typical pattern helps clarify what monitoring involves.
Why It Happens
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, the most common type, typically develops during growth spurts, and its exact cause isn't fully understood. Regular monitoring during growth is important, since curves can progress as a child continues to grow.
Why It's Called "Idiopathic"
"Idiopathic" means the specific cause isn't identified — despite ongoing research, AIS doesn't have a single known cause, though genetics appear to play some role given that it often runs in families.
Typical Onset and Progression Pattern
AIS most commonly becomes noticeable during the adolescent growth spurt, and curve progression tends to correlate closely with periods of rapid growth — which is why monitoring frequency often increases during these growth windows and can taper once a child reaches skeletal maturity.
General Curve Severity Guidelines
Under 25 degrees: typically monitored, sometimes with physical therapy-based approaches
25-40 degrees: often monitored more closely, bracing sometimes considered depending on growth remaining
Over 40-50 degrees: may warrant surgical consultation, particularly if significant growth remains
Common Signs Parents or School Screenings Notice
Uneven shoulders or shoulder blade prominence
Uneven waistline or hip height
One side of the back appearing more prominent when bending forward
When to Seek Medical Evaluation
Any suspected scoliosis should be evaluated by a physician for proper measurement and monitoring, particularly during growth years. Contact your child's physician promptly for rapid curve progression or any new neurological symptoms like numbness or weakness.
Our Approach
Chiropractic care doesn't reverse structural scoliosis, but it can support comfort and function alongside appropriate medical monitoring. We work to understand where your child is in their diagnosis and care plan, and coordinate our approach with their broader care team, including bracing or specialist follow-up when applicable.
This information is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please work with your child's physician or a scoliosis specialist for appropriate monitoring and treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It depends on which type is involved. Most scoliosis diagnosed in kids and teens, including adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, is structural — the curve involves the shape of the vertebrae themselves, and chiropractic care doesn't correct or halt this kind of curvature. Appropriate monitoring and, when needed, treatments like bracing should come from your child's physician or a scoliosis specialist.
There's also a different, less discussed category called functional scoliosis — a postural curve related to muscle tightness, favored positioning, or asymmetry elsewhere in the body (like a leg length difference or, in babies, a consistent head-turning preference from torticollis), rather than a change in the vertebrae themselves. This type doesn't show the same structural changes on imaging, and because it's driven by movement and posture rather than bone structure, chiropractic care is often genuinely well-suited to help — addressing the underlying asymmetry or restriction that's causing the curve to begin with.
Part of a thorough exam is determining which type your child is dealing with, since that distinction changes what kind of care actually makes sense.
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Support for comfort, function, and general spinal health as a complement to your child's medical monitoring — not a replacement for it.
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Yes — understanding where your child is in their diagnosis and any current treatment (like bracing) helps us coordinate care appropriately.
— not self-conscious about a curve in their spine, or worried about what the next growth spurt might bring.
Sometimes that means looking beyond the obvious, and toward gentle, whole-body care that supports how your child's body was designed to grow, move, and heal — including the kind of postural asymmetry, sometimes called functional scoliosis, that can develop from favored positioning or imbalance elsewhere in the body, distinct from the structural changes your physician monitors.
Holistic, non-invasive, Gonstead chiropractic care helps to provide a clear and hopeful path forward for you and your family, meeting your child exactly where they are, alongside your physician's guidance every step of the way.
You don't have to have all the answers today — just a willingness to explore what's possible, one gentle step at a time.