§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the incidence of scoliosis among teenagers; and what steps are being taken to develop appropriate treatment of the condition. [185280]
§ Dr. LadymanScoliosis is a descriptive term rather than a specific diagnosis, which can be wide-ranging from simple to very complex conditions. Information is not collected centrally by the Department on the incidence of all types of scoliosis. However, it has been estimated that idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, which is one of the accepted classifications in which scoliosis can be the only finding, has an incidence of two per thousand children.
A range of services for the treatment of scoliosis is available across the country, including spinal corrective surgery for children. A review of services for children with spinal deformity, including scoliosis, is being undertaken by a project group with wide stakeholder representation. The group, led by the North Central London Strategic Health Authority, produced its first report in May 2004 and is looking to take recommendations forward.