title: Early onset scoliosis: what the primary care provider needs to know and implications for practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the primary care provider in the detection of and referral for early onset scoliosis. An overview of scoliosis including etiology, natural history, guidelines for physical examination, current practice for scoliosis screening, and available treatments will be discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, OVID Medline, Psychinfo. Search terms: juvenile scoliosis, childhood onset scoliosis, early onset scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, and infantile scoliosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scoliosis is classified depending on the magnitude, location, direction, and cause of the curve, and can lead to a variety of health effects if not treated. The greater the scoliosis curve and the earlier it presents, the more likely it may affect thoracic growth, inhibit cardiopulmonary function, and cause psychosocial distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine scoliosis screening should be incorporated into each healthcare maintenance visit beginning in infancy and continue into adolescence until the child reaches skeletal maturity. Curves with a scoliometer reading greater than 5° should be referred, and conservative treatment should be considered for curves that surpass 20°. If scoliosis is detected early, it may be possible to stabilize the curve from progressing and even prevent thoracic deformity and secondary complications from occurring.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York, USA. nlarson81@gmail.com
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009985:Orthopedics; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors