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Topic Review

Christina

Basic Member

26 Dec 2008 08:01 PM
www.clear-institute.org Aug/Sept 2008 CLEAR Institute Monthly Newsletter Chiropractic Leadership, Educational Advancement, & Research Aug/Sept 2008 Newsletter Content Understanding Infantile Scoliosis We Want to Hear from You! Upcoming Seminars Understanding Infantile Scoliosis In last month's newsletter, we discussed the cause of scoliosis from a chiropractic, biomechanical perspective. Simply put, CLEAR Institute holds that the initiating factor in the development of scoliosis is trauma to the upper cervical spine (neck), which interferes with the communication between the body & the brain. Research, such as the article published in the Journal of Spinal Disorders in 1992 entitled, "Cervical spinal cord injury in children," provides scientific evidence in favor of this theory. In this study, 88% of children who experienced significant upper cervical trauma developed scoliosis. If this theory is true, it stands to reason that scoliosis may also develop if trauma causes interference at the source, in the area of the brain which is responsible for regulating posture & balance. Those who are most susceptible to this are infants, because the bones of their skull are much more malleable than those of adults. In fact, the sutures & fusion points (fontanelles) which join the bones of the skull do not develop completely until about two years of age. To draw it all together, if scoliosis develops because of a neurological cause, infants who suffer from plagiocephaly (malformation of the bones of the skull) would then have a very high rate of scoliosis. Let's take a look at the research on this topic. Out of 278 infants with plagiocephaly, it was found that 272 (that's almost 98%) developed scoliosis. Furthermore, 268 of the 272 also demonstrated a correlation between the side of plagiocephaly and the laterality of the curve (i.e., if the right side of the skull was deformed, the patient had a right scoliotic curve). How does plagiocephaly develop? One common cause is when infants are left on their back for a long period of time. The constant pressure on the back of their head causes deformation of the occipital bone, which protects the cerebellum - the part of the brain responsible for regulating posture & proprioception (orientation of the body in time & space). In 1992, pediatricians introduced the "Back to Sleep" campaign, in an effort to reduce the number of cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Since then, orthopedic surgeons have noticed a steady increase in the number of scoliosis surgeries performed each year (J Pediatric Orthop, 2004;24(6):738-741). This is unsurprising when one considers that it has been known since 1959 that cases of infantile scoliosis which continue to progress have a 98% chance of developing into severe curvatures measuring 70 degrees or greater - the ones most likely to require surgery (James et al, 1959). However, no one can argue with the effectiveness of the Back to Sleep campaign; since its introduction in 1992, cases of SIDS have decreased almost threefold. Yet in the 1960's-1970's, prior to the introduction of this campaign in America, cases of infantile scoliosis accounted for only 0.5% of the total number of scoliosis cases. Meanwhile, in Scotland, where parents were routinely advised to place their infants to sleep on ther back, cases of infantile scoliosis accounted for 41% of the number of cases diagnosed. After 1980, when this stance was reversed, the incidence of infantile scoliosis in Scotland dropped to 4% (incidentally, this data also reinforces the absence of a genetic link to scoliosis, given the genetic similarity between the North American and European populations). A recent study demonstrating that up to 50% of American babies now develop plagiocephaly suggests that we can expect to see a dramatic spike in the number of cases of infantile scoliosis in the United States in the upcoming years (Persing et al., 2003). Obviously, the responsible doctor should implement strategies to protect infants from both SIDS & infantile scoliosis. A simple suggestion would be to place infants on their backs when they are sleeping, and on their stomachs when they are awake. This gives babies a chance to develop the curve in their neck, which is an important factor in scoliosis prevention, as well as overall health & well-being. Chiropractors trained by CLEAR Institute are adept at diagnosing & correcting patterns which can influence the development of scoliosis. Advanced chiropractic treatment, such as the techniques perfected by Dr. Roger Turner (www.catsworkshop.com), which are aimed at correcting plagiocephaly & cranial subluxations, can also be extremely helpful in the management of infantile scoliosis. For additional information on the correlation between infantile scoliosis and plagiocephaly, please refer to Scoliosis and the Human Spine, by Martha Hawes, PhD, from which much of this information is excerpted from. As mentioned in previous newsletters, this book is one of the most comprehensive and informative documents on scoliosis ever written, and is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in learning more about what research has to say about the current methods of scoliosis treatment (bracing & surgery), as well as the true potential & effectiveness of conservative treatment. We Want to Hear from You! In the previous newsletter, we mentioned an opportunity for you to win a $25 gift card by completing a short, seven-question survey that will help us to expand & grow CLEAR Institute to better meet the needs of the world. If you are interested in participating in this survey, please click on the link below: http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/start?sid=10466&cid=35945 Upcoming Scoliosis Seminar Opportunities Please go online to our website, www.clear-institute.org, for more information about seminars, speakers, and registration. Dallas Fall Seminar Series At Parker College in Dallas, Texas Part I - October 11 & 12 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday Part 2 - November 8 & 9 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday Workshop - December 6 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday Florida Seminar Series Orlando, Florida Part I - October 4 & 5, 2008 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday Part II - October 18 & 19, 2008 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday Part III - November 15 & 16, 2008 9-6 Saturday, 8-1 Sunday "This is advice from an old man who has been a lot of places, seen a lot of things. Be careful before you make choices. Avoid shortcuts. They are quick-fixes, and unrewarding." - Hank Aaron -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permission freely granted to copy & distribute this information without financial gain.

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