Scoliosis runs in families, but nothing you did caused it, and nothing could have prevented it. This page answers the questions families ask about brothers and sisters, about blame, and about what to ask your doctor. It ends with a plain-English list of the words you may hear.
Reviewed by Dr. Kshitij Chaudhary — Last reviewed October 2026
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Will my other children get scoliosis too?
There's a higher-than-average chance, because scoliosis runs in families. About 3 in 10 teenagers with scoliosis have a relative with it. It can easily skip a child or a generation. It's sensible to have your other children's backs checked once or twice around the growth spurt, between about 10 and 15 years of age.
Could we have prevented it?
No. Because the cause is genetic, nothing your child or you did made it happen, and nothing could have stopped it from starting. Early detection and treatment can stop a curve getting worse, though.
Some common worries:
- Bad posture: doesn't cause scoliosis. The curve may be the reason for poor posture, especially if your child leans to one side
- Heavy school bags and sport: don't cause scoliosis or make a curve worse. A heavy bag can cause aches, so keep the load light and use both shoulder straps
- Leg length difference: doesn't cause scoliosis. A large difference can make it look worse, and in that rare case a shoe lift may help
How do we cope as a family?
A new diagnosis can feel like a lot. Come back and talk to your doctor once you've had time to think about the visit. Write your questions down, and read up so you can make informed decisions. Talk and listen to one another, parents, teenagers and medical team alike. Families who work together with their doctor build the trust that makes every step easier.
Questions to ask your doctor
- What is my child's curve size and pattern, and how much growing is left?
- How likely is the curve to progress?
- What are the risks and benefits of treating now?
- What are the risks of not treating, or of waiting?
- What are the risks and benefits of the treatment you suggest, compared with the alternatives?
- If a brace, how many hours a day, and for how long?
- If surgery, which levels, and which operation, and why that one?
- How many of these operations have you done?
- What should we watch for between visits?
Words you may hear
Word | What it means |
Apex | The most tilted and displaced vertebra in a curve, usually the stiffest part |
Cobb angle | The X-ray measurement of curve size, in degrees |
Compensatory curve | A smaller curve above or below the main one, which helps keep the head balanced over the pelvis |
Decompensation | Loss of balance, when the trunk is no longer centred over the pelvis |
Fusion | Joining two or more vertebrae into one solid bone with bone graft |
Instrumentation | The screws, hooks and rods used to correct and hold the spine |
Kyphosis | The normal forward curve of the upper back. Too much is called a roundback |
Lordosis | The normal inward curve of the neck and lower back, sometimes called swayback |
Pseudarthrosis | A fusion that hasn't healed |
Rib hump | A bump of the ribs caused by the spine twisting |
Risser sign | A marker of growth on the pelvis, seen on X-ray |
Structural curve | A curve that is stiff and doesn't straighten on bending. These are usually included in a fusion |
TLSO | Thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis, the rigid plastic scoliosis brace |
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This information is for general education and does not replace a consultation with your doctor.