Scoliosis Surgery Cancelled on Child Due to Chiropractic Intervention

The Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case report in their July 2021 issue documenting the improvement of scoliosis in a toddler who underwent chiropractic care.

According to the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, "Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Children and teens with scoliosis have an abnormal S-shaped or C-shaped curve of the spine. The curve can happen on either side of the spine and in different places in the spine."

The John Hopkins Medical Center website notes how common this issue is by saying, "Scoliosis is a common spine condition often found in adolescents. Roughly 3 million new cases of the condition are diagnosed in the United States each year, with a majority of them identified as idiopathic scoliosis — a type of scoliosis that presents in children between 10 to 12 years old."

The history of this case started when a 6-month-old girl was examined by her pediatrician who noticed a curvature in the girl's spine. An MRI was then performed, and a curvature was confirmed that was caused by two hemi-vertebrae. A hemi-vertebra is a congenital abnormality where half of a vertebrae fails to form during fetal development. This abnormal shape can lead to a spinal curvature or scoliosis.

Over the next year, the girl's pediatrician noticed that the curvature was getting worse. He then recommended spinal surgery to fuse the involved area. The surgery was scheduled for three months later.

One month prior to the date of the scheduled spinal surgery, the child was taken to a chiropractor by her mother for a chiropractic evaluation. The examination determined that subluxations were present and specific forms of age-appropriate adjustments and procedures were started.

Six weeks after the girl's initial chiropractic adjustment, she underwent a pre-surgical examination by her orthopedic surgeon. His evaluation determined that there had been a significant reduction in the girl's scoliosis to the point where the surgery was postponed. The orthopedic surgeon continued to evaluate the girl on a regular basis, but no surgery was ever needed.

In the study conclusion, the authors wrote, "Fusion surgery for scoliosis is permanent and irreversible in nature and if conventional chiropractic care can be offered without any serious risk to the patient's health then chiropractic care should be explored in the subset of patient that responds to care. During those periods of time when the medical physician is only monitoring the patient or preparing."