Congenital scoliosis results from improper development of the spine during the third and fifth weeks of fetal life. Congenital abnormalities progress throughout early life and can interfere with normal growth of the trunk. Such defects rarely occur alone and are usually associated with other abnormalities in the newborn. Neuromuscular scoliosis results from muscular weakness, localized muscle imbalance, or neurologic dysfunction and paralysis. The curvature is flexible at first, with little rotation, but as the disease progresses, the curves become more pronounced and more rigid.
Idiopathic scoliosis has no known cause.
The most severe cases usually appear before puberty, but it can appear at any time from infancy to adulthood. Most cases of scoliosis can be corrected if detected early and treated promptly before inflexible structural changes occur and cardiopulmonary complications develop. Since the early 1960's, screening programs for detection of scoliosis in school children have been initiated and several states now require periodic screening of all children in the public schools. Parents also are encouraged to look for early signs of the disorder in their children. Inspection of the adolescent child for these signs should be made every few months.