It does not develop as a result of anything that a child or his or her parents did or failed to do. It is not caused by carrying a book bag over one shoulder all the time. It is a spinal disorder that usually appears during the early teen years, although it may appear in younger children as well. Early screening With early detection, scoliosis can be treated and corrected before abnormal bone growth occurs. Severe scoliosis, if left untreated, can be painful and deforming and can interfere with the working of the heart and lungs.
Severe scoliosis can result in death.
The cause is unknown. The curvature begins sometime before or during the adolescent growth spurt and is much more pronounced in girls. People diagnosed with mild scoliosis as teenagers should have their spines checked regularly. If scoliosis is neglected, the curves may progress dramatically, creating significant physical deformity and even cardiopulmonary problems with especially severe curves. Currently, treatment usually begins with physiotherapy.