This week, we took on a middle grade read called ‘Braced’, by Alyson Gerber. Our main character, Rachel, is a twelve year old girl who has scoliosis.
What is scoliosis?
- Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve sideways.
- It is usually discovered around the time of puberty, when children are growing very quickly
- It is eight times more common in girls than boys
- Most of the time, it is idiopathic (meaning we don’t know what causes it). But, sometimes it does run in families
Much of the time, scoliosis does not cause any symptoms when it is developing, so we usually discover it on a routine screening exam at the doctor’s office or in school. A spine x-ray can help doctors measure the angle of the scoliosis curve over time. If the angle is less than 25 degrees, we can wait and watch. When the angle gets bigger, then the orthopedic doctor might recommend a brace.
Brace Yourself
The curve in Rachel’s spine progresses and she needs to get a brace. A scoliosis brace kind of looks like a hard plastic corset, but it is specially designed and customized to fit the body of each individual. The idea is to hold the spine in a particular position and prevent the curve from getting any worse until growth is complete. Once a child’s bones finish growing, the curve will not continue to get worse and the brace no longer needs to be used. Children may end up wearing a brace like this from several months to a few years.
Why does this all matter?
If a significant curve goes untreated, besides the cosmetic look, it can cause chronic back pain as an adult. In severe cases, it can compress the rib cage as well, which can affect the lungs and heart. The difficult thing about wearing the brace is that it doesn’t always work. If the curve continues to get worse despite bracing, a child might need a type of surgery called a spinal fusion to make the spine straight.
Rachel needs to wear her brace for 23hours a day, which means she cant keep it a secret from her friends – or her classmates very long. Though the brace is worn under her clothes, people definitely notice. Trust middle schoolers to make life harder for anyone who looks different. But for Rachel, what is most difficult is that the brace gets in the way of her playing soccer as well as she once did. lt is bulky and heavy, she is not as flexible in it, and it slows her down. . Nevertheless, she is determined to keep improving her game despite the new challenge.
Speaking Up
This book does a really good job of modeling for children how helpful it can be to speak up when things are difficult.
- Speaking up helps create understanding
Rachel and her mother have a hard time understanding each other for most of the book. Rachel mistakenly thinks she doesn’t need to explain her feelings to her mom, who also had scoliosis as a child – she, too, needed a brace and eventually spinal fusion surgery. Rachel thinks her mom will just ‘get it’. But it is only when Rachel opens up that her mom has the information she needs to support Rachel in the way that she needs.
- Speaking up is empowering
Rachel also talks to her mother about her experience at the doctor’s office – in short, she is not a fan. Why? Dr Paul doesn’t speak to her directly. He doesn’t explain anything to her. She feels like a ‘case’ to be discussed with the resident doctors, and not a person. But because Rachel speaks up, her mother talks with Dr Paul and he makes changes, so that Rachel can feels more comfortable and included in her appointments.
It is so important to have a more inclusive and empathetic approach to health as children get older. This can make it more likely for them to stick to treatments. It’s also important for children to learn how to voice their emotions and needs effectively – a skill that will help in many aspects of life as they get older.
Interested in other children’s books touching on health conditions? Check out our bookshelf!
