Think your child doesn’t need to be screened by a doctor of chiropractic for scoliosis because he or she receives yearly in-school evaluations?  Think again.  Late-breaking research reveals that, in general, school-based scoliosis screenings are ineffective.  Dr. Smith is unnerved by these reports, and is working to educate the community about effective scoliosis detection strategies.

The research indicates that in-school scoliosis screenings are faulty.  Here are the most prevalent reasons:

• In-school screenings are not conducted by doctors who focus on the spine.
• School-based screenings lack the regular follow-up vital to controlling scoliosis.
• The screenings are not comprehensive.  Research reveals that the most popular evaluation tool used at these screening, the forward-bending test, fails to detect many cases of scoliosis.  (Spine 2010;35:1061-71.)

Even if your child has tested negative in school screenings, it is still essential to schedule your child for a chiropractic evaluation.

If your child has already been diagnosed with scoliosis, make sure to schedule a chiropractic checkup before turning to more aggressive treatment options, which may have adverse effects. Dr. Barbara Smith
Chiropractor and Health Educator
health@doctorbarb.com