Original Article

PEDIATRIC BACK PAIN

  • Esat KITER
  • Murat OTO

J Turk Spinal Surg 2010;21(4):385-390

Back pain is one of the most prevalent conditions in many children attending to pediatric health care settings As such, awareness to the common etiologies of back pain in this subgroup of patients remains essential as it guides appropriate diagnosis. The best prevention is early detection. Therefore, it is important to be suspicious when evaluating the pediatric patient. This evaluation should include a thorough history and physical examination, plain radiographs, and, if necessary, bone scans or more advanced imaging techniques. Many conditions may be treated conservatively with bracing, rest, and analgesics, whereas others may require more aggressive therapy such as surgical intervention.

Keywords: Pediatric spine, Back pain, diagnosis