Spine Center

Akron Children’s offers both surgical and non-surgical treatment solutions for pediatric and adolescent scoliosis based on your child’s curvature and age. Surgery is typically only performed on children who are going through puberty and are near the end of growth because the procedure can stop the growth of the spine and interfere with chest cavity growth. If your child is too young to undergo scoliosis surgery, we have several treatment options that allow us to prevent or delay the need for surgery.

We were also the first hospital in Northeast Ohio to obtain an EOS Ultra Low Dose 2D/3D Imaging System, which allows higher quality imaging of spinal deformities, while limiting your child’s exposure to radiation. We’ve also implemented best practices and enhanced care coordination for scoliosis surgery to improve your child’s recovery time and shorten their hospital stay.

Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common spinal problem affecting children and teens. The cause is unknown. In other cases, pediatric scoliosis is congenital, meaning the spinal deformity develops before the child is born. Another form is neuromuscular scoliosis, which can occur in children who have medical conditions that affect their ability to control the muscles that support their back and spine.

Scoliosis Treatments

Treatment of scoliosis varies based on your child's age and the severity of the spinal curve. The Spine Center, an Akron Children’s Center of Excellence, offers the latest innovations in scoliosis treatment tailored to your child’s specific needs.

Infants and toddlers

At Akron Children’s, scoliosis in infants and toddlers has been treated with Mehta casts with excellent results. Over a year-long period, your child will be placed in a cast that is changed every 6-12 weeks, depending on their growth. The casts are waterproof, making it easier for you to bathe your child. Once the casting process is complete and your child’s curvature is corrected, a brace will be used to keep the spine in alignment as your child grows.

School-age children

Bracing is frequently used in children ages 5-9. A brace will not typically cure your child’s spine deformity, but it can prevent the curve from increasing.

If your child’s curvature worsens before age 10, the spine may not be large enough to allow a definitive spinal fusion, and we may recommend surgery before your child reaches adolescence. In this case, magnetic growth rods or Shilla implants can be used, depending on your child’s condition. These medical devices encourage continued growth of the spine, while controlling or correcting your child’s spinal curve.

Adolescents and teens

Bracing may be an option for your tween or teen with scoliosis, preventing curve progression 75% of the time. We also offer an innovative form of physical therapy known as the Schroth Method that can optimize your child’s function and may be able to improve bracing’s effectiveness to stop or slow your child’s curve progression and prevent further spinal deformity. Schroth physical therapy is typically used with growing children and adolescents.

If surgery is necessary, our orthopedic surgeons will perform a procedure that corrects the spinal deformity and prevents recurrence of the deformity in adulthood. This is called a spinal fusion and helps prevent long term impacts of a curve’s indefinite progression later in life. The surgeon uses metal rods and screws to correct the spine and keep it straight while it heals.

Akron Children’s spinal surgeons prioritize safety and quality. Complex cases are simplified with the use of the innovative O-Arm Surgical Imaging System. This system uses 3D imaging and navigation in real-time to guide surgeons in performing procedures with a higher degree of precision and safety. By using innovative surgical techniques and routinely performing procedures with two attending surgeons, our orthopedic surgeons are able to perform complex procedures safely and efficiently, reducing blood loss and surgical time, which enables excellent outcomes and expedited recovery. This focus on quality and safety enables your teen to return to the activities they love most.

After a spinal fusion, your teen should be able to ease into activities with some restrictions by 3 months, with a full return to activities by 6 months.

• Teens Supporting Teens with Scoliosis
• For parents: A to Z: Scoliosis
• Scoliosis Frequently Asked Questions

Improving Spinal Health

Three out of every 100 children have some form of scoliosis.

That’s why Akron Children’s created SpineScreen: a way to check for the signs of scoliosis while putting sunscreen on your child.

Getting kids to stand still can be a challenge. So, when you’re already applying sunscreen on their backs, add in a quick scoliosis check to look for the telltale signs. It’s so easy, you can do it while applying the sunscreen.

Here’s what to look for:

1. One hip resting higher than the other
2. A left or right curve of the spine
3. Uneven shoulders

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your provider to have a thorough evaluation.

With the decrease of school screenings, scoliosis is not being detected as early. By getting screened yearly – or more frequently – scoliosis can be detected earlier, helping teens avoid surgery with a brace and Schroth physical therapy. In fact, 75% of the time, bracing is an effective treatment to stop or slow curve progression and prevent further spinal deformity.

Scoliosis Stats:

• Catching scoliosis early can help prevent the need for surgical treatment.
• Scoliosis is often painless in early or less severe stages.
• Scoliosis is often diagnosed during childhood and early adolescence.
• The best way to catch scoliosis early is with regular pediatric exams
• Informed parents can increase the chances of catching it early – especially between pediatric appointments.

Akron Children’s uses care pathways -- standardized plans of care that follow best practices for specific conditions or medical procedures. These care pathways are clearly defined and fine-tuned to guide our medical professionals in delivering the best care to our patients.

SCOLIOSIS PATHWAY

Akron Children’s Spine Center has a multidisciplinary team of experts that follows a comprehensive, evidence-based pathway for patients undergoing surgical correction of spinal curvature. By incorporating best practices before, during and after scoliosis surgery, this pathway has improved patient comfort and mobility, shortened the number of days in the hospital by more than 50%, significantly decreased the cost of care and yielded excellent patient outcomes.

PAIN MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES

Akron Children’s orthopedic surgeons were the first group of surgeons in the United States to develop guidelines for the appropriate management of pain once patients go home after surgery. These guidelines encourage the use of non-narcotic medications as much as possible, while reserving narcotics only for the treatment of severe pain. By following these guidelines, our orthopedic surgeons have decreased the use of narcotics and the associated risks, while still providing good pain control for our patients.

ACL PATHWAY

The sports medicine surgeons at Akron Children’s have reviewed all of the best methods of care for patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. They’ve incorporated these practices into a care pathway that starts before surgery and continues until the patient has returned to the activities they enjoyed before the injury. This care pathway enhances the hospital experience for our patients and their families and, ultimately, leads to better overall outcomes for our patients. 

NEUROMUSCULAR HIP PATHWAY

Our multidisciplinary team has developed a pathway for patients undergoing hip surgeries to maximize the health of their hips long term. Our surgical pain management techniques and collaboration between our medical and orthopedic teams ensure that our patients recover from their hip procedures in the most comfortable and safest environment possible.