Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis is fairly common and quite often runs in families. However, physicians do not know the cause. It is present in 2 to 4 percent of children worldwide. When a cause for Scoliosis cannot be identified, it is called “idiopathic”. It is estimated that 80 percent of Scoliosis cases are idiopathic, and are referred to as Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS).
Until now, children diagnosed with AIS were monitored throughout their adolescent years regardless of the severity of their curve because physicians could not determine which patients would develop severe curves and which would not. The lack of accurate information was highly ineffective, very costly, and caused prolonged concern for patients and their families.
