Scoliosis Testing in Area Middle Schools Coming Up

County health departments in Northeast Georgia will begin next month to screen middle school students for scoliosis.

Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve to one side and if left untreated can leave a person unable to live a normal life.

District Two Public Health spokesman Dave Palmer said the best time to diagnose and treat the condition is when children are in middle-school.

“Well that’s a time when their spines are developing and when we can find any abnormal spinal curvatures at that age, we can generally do a better job of correcting the earlier that we find it,” said Palmer.

Palmer said too often back curvatures are not discovered until late, which can result in permanent damage and drastic treatment is required.

Signs of scoliosis are found in about five to ten percent of children screened.

According to Palmer, the test is a simple and painless examination that is conducted in just a few seconds by trained professionals.

The first screening will take place at Franklin County Middle School on September 11 for all 7th and 8th graders.

Palmer said other county school systems in the District Two Public Health area, including Stephens County, will also be scheduling scoliosis exams in the coming weeks.

“We don’t know the date yet but they will be having the same type screening,” said Palmer. “We screen all middle school students every year, 7th and 8th graders. All the 7th and 8th graders will bring a letter home from school talking about the screening and if parents don’t want their child screened, they should sign the letter and return it.”

If a spinal abnormality is detected, Palmer says the parents will be notified in writing by the Health Department.

He says if parents have questions, they can contact their local health department or District Two Public Health in Gainesville at: 770-535-5743.