is scoliosis a birth defect?

Answer 1

Scoliosis Causes
In most cases (85%), the cause of scoliosis is unknown (what doctors call idiopathic). The other 15% of cases fall into 2 groups:

Nonstructural (functional): This type of scoliosis is a temporary condition when the spine is otherwise normal. The curvature occurs as the result of another problem. Examples include 1 leg being shorter than another from muscle spasms or from appendicitis.

Structural: In this type of scoliosis, the spine is not normal. The curvature is caused by another disease process such as a birth defect, muscular dystrophy, metabolic diseases, connective tissue disorders, or Marfan syndrome.

Answer 2

Not exactly a birth defect, but a developmental disorder. It's rare for a child to be born scoliotic, but relatively common for kids to grow up with some (usually mild) curvature of the spine. Most never have any symptoms at all, a completely benign process.

That said, scoliosis can be very, very serious, causing respiratory and cardiac problems if it gets extreme. Surgery is often used to correct scoliosis which has progressed to the point of causing symptoms and problems.

Answer 3

What Is Scoliosis? Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal sickness where there's a sideways curvature of the backbone, or spine. The bones that make up the backbone are known as vertebrae. Some individuals who've scoliosis require healing. Other individuals, who've milder curves, would possibly handiest must discuss with their health care provider for periodic remark. The phase, "Does Scoliosis Have To Be Treated? What Are the Treatments?" describes how medical professionals make a decision whether or not or to not deal with scoliosis. Who Gets Scoliosis? People of every age will have scoliosis, however this ebook specializes in youngsters and kids. Of each one million,000 youngsters, three to five broaden spinal curves which can be viewed enormous adequate to wish healing. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (scoliosis of unknown reason) is essentially the most natural style and happens after the age of 10. Girls are much more likely than boys to have this style of scoliosis. Since scoliosis can run in households, a baby who has a mother or father, brother, or sister with idiopathic scoliosis must be checked generally for scoliosis by means of the loved ones healthcare professional. Idiopathic scoliosis too can arise in youngsters more youthful than 10 years of age, however could be very infrequent. Early onset or childish idiopathic scoliosis happens in youngsters not up to three years ancient. It is extra natural in Europe than within the United States. Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis happens in youngsters among the a while of three and 10. What Causes Scoliosis? In eighty to eighty five percentage of individuals, the reason of scoliosis is unknown; that is known as idiopathic scoliosis. Before concluding that a man or woman has idiopathic scoliosis, the health care provider appears for different feasible factors, corresponding to harm or contamination. Causes of curves are labeled as both nonstructural or structural.

Answer 4

One kind of scoliosis is genetic, and possibly another. But a birth defect, to me, implies that something happens in the womb to the child to cause it. From what I'm reading in the included link, that's not something that normally happens.

Answer 5

Yes, it is a congenital condition present at birth.

From Wikipedia.com:

Scoliosis is a condition that involves complex lateral and rotational curvature and deformity of the spine. It is typically classified as congenital (caused by vertebral anomalies present at birth), idiopathic (sub-classified as infantile, juvenile, adolescent, or adult according to when onset occurred) or as having developed as a secondary symptom of another condition, such as cerebral palsy or spinal muscular atrophy.