Quick question about my daughter's spine

[BrokenGirl]

My daughter is 12 years old. Over the past 2 to 3 years she has occasionally said her back was a bit sore. My husband, even my son, just put it down to bad posture.
But one thing I noticed, and she has said it to me once or twice, is that her spine sticks out a bit.
She's very thin, eats like a horse but just stays thin, and is fairly tall for her age (I remember being that way too when I was younger - not so much these days though!!)

As today is a hot sunny day she has a crop top on. It does stick out a bit, but I also thought I noticed that in the lower part of her back her spine isn't exactly in the centre.
I obviously don't want to say it to her can i check it.
Should a spine be exactly in the centre of our backs? I had always assumed it should be, or am I, as usual, reading too much into this??

[O_O]

She might have scoliosis. Pretty common, and harmless.

I have it, and I'm lucky because it hasn't caused me any pain yet. It can cause pain in some people, though - there are special exercises that can be done to help, which a doctor should be able to advise more on.

I wouldn't worry at all about her being thin, as long as she's eating properly. As long as she's full, her body's getting what it needs. I know some people who force their children to eat more... and then as the children get older and their metabolism slows down they suddenly find themselves becoming overweight!

[BrokenGirl]

She might have scoliosis. Pretty common, and harmless.

I have it, and I'm lucky because it hasn't caused me any pain yet. It can cause pain in some people, though - there are special exercises that can be done to help, which a doctor should be able to advise more on.

I wouldn't worry at all about her being thin, as long as she's eating properly. As long as she's full, her body's getting what it needs. I know some people who force their children to eat more... and then as the children get older and their metabolism slows down they suddenly find themselves becoming overweight!
Thank you so much for your reply. Scoliosis did enter my mind but the truth is I thought it was this horrible, debilitating, painful ordeal that anyone who suffered from it had to endure, and surgery was the only option.
I didn't want to google it because I kicked that habit a long time ago - me and Dr Google are NOT friends!!

I didn't realise it can be harmless enough and not cause much pain in people.
I'm sorry you have it btw, but thankfully you're not suffering from it!

I'm not concerned about her being thin, as long as she's eating enough. I just thought that because she's thin, it might make her spine appear to stick out a bit more.

I won't be saying it to her anyway or dragging her off to the doctor any time soon. Obviously if she starts to complain that it's getting very sore then I'll have to do something. But I'll deal with that if and when it happens.

[O_O]

Ah right, yeah, in most cases scoliosis is really mild and causes no symptoms 🙂 a lot of people don't know they have it. I found out when I was 16, had occasional back ache, and now I'm 31 and have no pain all. I can just see my spine is ever so slightly off-centre if I see photos of myself in a bikini from behind or whatever.

You just hear about the really severe cases of course, where people are disfigured and in agony and need surgery... you'd DEFINITELY know about it if she had anything that severe!

I'm sure your daughter is going to be totally fine. The aching might just be temporary, or she might just have to do some stretches or something.

[BrokenGirl]

I suppose what I'm afraid of, having the HA mind of always worst case scenario, is what if it does develop into one of those very bad cases.
I don't know how scoliosis works and I obviously can't google it. I think I've heard of kids having it very very bad. Is that something that they are born with?
At the moment it's nothing severe, and nowhere near that. Still doesn't stop me worrying though :(

[O_O]

No no it can't suddenly turn bad.

The way she has it now is the way she'll always have it. If she even has it.

The worst case scenario in a mild case like hers is back ache sometimes.

[BrokenGirl]

No no it can't suddenly turn bad.

The way she has it now is the way she'll always have it. If she even has it.

The worst case scenario in a mild case like hers is back ache sometimes.
Well that's a relief!! Like I said, I don't know anything about scoliosis and I was afraid it might get more severe as time went on.
Having HA I can't google it, so you're my Dr Google for now O_O :)

Thanks so much for your replies and reassurance, it means a lot to me xx

[Fishmanpa]

Here's the thing BGirl... if scoliosis wasn't mentioned, the dragon wouldn't have gotten a treat. You know full well we're not exactly symmetrical in nature. You have the probable reason (posture) and its apparent, other than a niggle of pain now and again, she's not suffering. That, and the fact you've been in a bit of a spiral lately and I think you know where I'm going with this ;)

Positive thoughts

[BrokenGirl]

Here's the thing BGirl... if scoliosis wasn't mentioned, the dragon wouldn't have gotten a treat. You know full well we're not exactly symmetrical in nature. You have the probable reason (posture) and its apparent, other than a niggle of pain now and again, she's not suffering. That, and the fact you've been in a bit of a spiral lately and I think you know where I'm going with this ;)

Positive thoughts
I know what you're saying Fishman........ Yes I'm in a spiral at the moment, there's no denying that unfortunately.


Scoliosis did cross my mind before I posted about it here, but I did have very limited knowledge of it. And what I did know of it was horrible. It's a bit of comfort to me now knowing that it doesn't progressively get worse.


And I've been down the symmetrical rabbit hole before. I've accepted that we're not symmetrical. But I thought, and still do think, that the spine should be straight down the centre of the back. I was standing behind her just a while ago and as she had a short top on I could see the lower part of her spine, and it definitely is not in the centre down near the end of it. It's to the right. It still scares me to see it. I'm just hoping that's just the dragon breathing down my neck, telling me there's something wrong. I'm trying to use what I've learnt so far, but bloody hell it's hard.
Then again, nobody said it was going to be easy!

[flygirl767]

Well done for not Googling! I could almost have written that post myself about my 13 year old son. He is rake thin and his spine sticks out a lot too. He also complains of back ache from time to time but I'm sure his is from spending too much time slumped in his computer chair currently while under lockdown! Like pp's have said, not everyone is symmetrical so I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Hard though when you are a HA sufferer!