Gavin Roland

ISM- Period 1
"How Scoliosis Impacts the Body." Ability Connection Colorado: Serving People with Diabetes.

N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

Scoliosis is more than a curve of the spine, its a three dimensional deformity
The abnormal twisting of the spine can cause abnormal thorax growth which is
accompanied by decreases lung volumes in severe cases
Other visible issues include uneven shoulders/hips, spinal misalignment, forward neck
bending and more
The three types of scoliosis in children are congenital, infantile , and neuromuscular
Around 90% of infantile cases sure themselves
Some treatments for scoliosis include bracing and casting, halo gravity traction and an
assortment of different distraction hardware procedures.
Early Treatment (ET) with Mehtas Growth Guidance Casting, a specialized form of EDF
(elongation, derotation, flexion) casting has proved to be effect in treating young patients
spines
ET consist of a series of EDF plaster of Paris casts (covered with a light layer of
fiberglass) created on a specialized, pediatric sized, 3-dimensional casting frame.
The frame provides elongation through corrective traction and gives the surgeon the
ability to effectively address derotation of the spine and maintenance/correction of the
patients lumbar lordosis via the flexion component.
The corrective process is most effective during the childs rapid phase of growth from
birth to 2 years old.
Scoliosis is different for every child; the body will do whatever is necessary to keep the
head in line with the pelvic structure so different variations can occur depending on the
type and degree of curvature.
Severe scoliosis (80+ degrees) can potentially affect not only the spine and rib cage, but
also, may eventually affect the heart, lungs, and other internal organs.
The one internal organ that is most frequently affected by severe scoliosis is the lung
Severe scoliosis in the thoracic area of the spine (upper back) causes chest wall
deformities, which can push the lungs into abnormal, restrictive shapes
Severe thoracic curves can also change the position of the bronchithe two tubes that
carry air into the lungs, cause a stunting in lung growth.
The imbalance in posture, the decrease of air intake and the decrease in proper oxygen
distribution to the lungs through the blood veins puts extra stress on the heart
This source can be characterized by its extremely in-depth information about scoliosis as a
disease and how it affects the body through organ rearrangement and other deformities.