How Parents Can Help

It is the duty of the parents to discover misalignments of the spine early and have the situation clarified by a physician. This is easy to discover when they ask the child to stand unclothed with the front of the body to a wall. Close to the wall the child automatically takes the posture, which he thinks is straight. This should not be biased by remarks like "keep the shoulder straight". Misalignments are often obvious to the eye.

Early diagnosis and therapy improve the chances for alleviation of the disease. The disease does not necessarily end with early detection. On the contrary, continual adaption is needed to preserve a the well-being of body and soul.

• Specific training of the posture helps to prevent a humpback. Parents should, along with the teenager, consult an otrthopedist for extensive advice for the right exercises.
• The daily exercises often are performed more readily, when the parents participate.
• There is specific exercises for Scheuermann´s Kyphosis. Ask about it.
• Do not force a straight posture by criticizing. This will have the opposite effect and will cause the child to withdraw.
• The afflicted should not carry heavy loads, or sit or work in bent positions. Getting a good office chair according on the advice of the orthopedist and getting a tilted working surface for desk work are steps which will help mitigate pain the progress of the disease.
• The affected child is experiencing a strong stress on the psyche. Parents should always support their child with patience and care.
• Autogenic training can have a great importance for the psychical development. It is also important, if parents attend the courses as well.

Non-steroidal antirheumatics are prescribed to treat surges of pain and inflammation. They should not be used in the pain free intervals, to avoid side effects, which occur in long term therapies. Cures with specific naturopathic treatment are very helpful. Psycheotherapy and autogenous training are useful to sustain for the motivation over the years. Towards the end stage of the disease it is possible to surgically correct the misalignment of the spine. Neglected misalignments often become worse during adolescence. In adults this causes increased deterioration of the spine an can be the cause of back pain in later years.