Causes, types and treatment of postural disorders in preschool children

Causes, types and treatment of postural disorders in preschool children

Postural disorders in preschool children - types and treatment

Postural disorders in childhood are changes in the physiological state of the spine, which can be caused by functional changes in the musculoskeletal system. Postural disorders in preschool children can be manifested by the following symptoms:

  • pronounced stooping;
  • periodic occurrence of headaches;
  • asymmetry of the spine;
  • asthenovegetative disorders;
  • chest and back pains.

Reasons of posture disorders in children

Problems with posture can be congenital or acquired. In the first case, the causes of such pathology can be:

  • intrauterine disorder of spine formation;
  • connective tissue dysplasia;
  • myotonic syndrome;
  • crooked;
  • subluxation of the 1st cervical vertebra.

Acquired postural disorders in children, the treatment of which is quite possible, but will differ in duration, can be formed due to the presence of the following pathologies:

  • tuberculosis;
  • osteomyelitis;
  • rickets;
  • valgus foot deformity;
  • vertebral fractures;
  • osteochondropathy;
  • shortening of one limb;
  • deforming scars on the back.

The category of acquired postural disorders also includes those that develop against the background of myopia, strabismus, deafness, and astigmatism. The child is forced to assume the wrong posture for work, thus compensating for a vision or hearing defect.

In addition to the obvious reasons for the development of the considered physiological disorders, several factors contributing to them can also be identified:

  • weak/insufficient physical development of the child;
  • incorrect day mode;
  • obesity;
  • hypotrophy;
  • insufficient intake of vitamins and trace elements into the child's body;
  • somatic weakness.

Types of postural disorders in children

In medicine, two types of postural disorders in childhood are distinguished - in the sagittal and frontal planes. If there are disturbances in the sagittal plane, it will be characterized by:

  • by smoothing out all the curves of the spine, the child has a completely flat back;
  • an increase in lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis - a flat-concave back is clearly defined;
  • an increase in thoracic kyphosis and a decrease in lumbar lordosis - the child slouches;
  • increased thoracic kyphosis and complete smoothing of lumbar lordosis - the child has a round back and a characteristic kyphotic posture;
  • increasing all physiological curves of the spine - the back has a round-concave line.

If we consider posture disorders in the frontal plane, then a characteristic feature will be the asymmetry of the right and left parts of the child's body. In order not to confuse such disorders with scoliosis, you should know some distinguishing features of the pathology: the asymmetry of the child's spine disappears in the lying position (during scoliosis it remains unchanged), torsion of the vertebrae is completely absent. A more complete classification of posture disorders in children can be found on our website Dobrobut.com.

Treatment of posture disorders

To restore the correct posture, children are prescribed complex treatment, which allows to form a full-fledged muscle corset and develop the correct functional stereotype.

Postural disorders, the treatment of which should be carried out only under the supervision of a specialist, can quite realistically be corrected with the help of the following prescriptions:

  • therapeutic physical education;
  • massage - can be general, orthopedic, as well as individual for the muscles of the chest, back or lower back;
  • manual therapy;
  • therapeutic swimming.

If postural disorders are being treated in older preschool-aged children, the doctor may include exercises on an exercise bike, rowing machine, or gymnastic complexes to the set of treatment measures.

In addition to the above-mentioned procedures, physiotherapy is often used as part of the treatment of physiological posture disorders - effective manipulations include electrostimulation of the back muscles, electrophoresis, general UFO, inductothermy, and thalassotherapy.

Treatment of postural disorders in preschool age will be long, but effective in almost every case. It is advisable to seek medical help at such an early age - the process of restoring posture will be easier and faster.

Related services:
Pediatrician consultation
Pediatric surgery

Updated: 03.04.2025
600 Views
Doctors who advise on this issue:
13experience (y.)
Bibikov Vitaliy Igorevich
Bibikov Vitaliy Igorevich
Physician; A general practitioner is a family doctor; Pulmonologist
11experience (y.)
Puhach Bohdan Anatoliiovych
Puhach Bohdan Anatoliiovych
Pediatrician; A general practitioner is a family doctor; Physician
22experience (y.)
Hunina Nataliia Valeriivna
Hunina Nataliia Valeriivna
A general practitioner is a family doctor; Cosmetologist; Physician
33experience (y.)
Bilga Svitlana Stepanivna
Bilga Svitlana Stepanivna
Pediatrician

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