Background
In 2019 my daughter was taking celtic dance lessons. Frequently she had to stop during the dancing and indicated she was experiencing chest pain. She was also having this pain during gym at school. Our family doctor had two ultrasounds performed which did not indicate a problem but the pain continued. She was examined by a heart specialist who diagnosed her as having costochondritis.
Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone. The pain caused by costochondritis can mimic that of a heart condition and often occurs during the growth phases of a child.
This past summer in July 2021 Katie went to the emergency department via ambulance and a 911 call. She was experiencing severe chest pain and difficulty breathing. The doctor at emergency gave her a brief examination and without performing any diagnostics or taking x-rays diagnosed Katie as again having costochondritis.
A few weeks later my wife noticed a bump protruding from Katie’s right shoulder blade and upon examination we discovered, her right shoulder blade was protruding, and her right hip and shoulder were elevated above her left side.
Thru 4 x-rays that followed Katie was diagnosed with a severe form of scoliosis and she will require surgical intervention.
What is Scoliosis ?
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents. The cause of most childhood scoliosis is unknown. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but some curves worsen as children grow.
Severe scoliosis can be disabling. Children who have mild scoliosis are monitored closely, usually with X-rays, to see if the curve is getting worse. In many cases, no treatment is necessary.
Some children will need to wear a brace to stop the curve from worsening. Others may need surgery to straighten severe curves.
Lessons Learned To Date
Keep an eye out early in your child’s growth development.
Look at their back to see if one shoulder is raised, a shoulder blade is protruding, one hip seems higher than the other. If your child is diagnosed with costochondritis, possibly as the result of examinations related to chest pain or breathing difficulty, ask your family doctor for advise on having an x-ray taken to determine if scoliosis is present.
Check out these amazing videos on scoliosis at settingscoliosisstraight.org