Does Scoliosis Automatically Mean Surgery? A routine school exam reveals your child has scoliosis. Naturally you're concerned. Children aged 10-15 are the largest group affected by scoliosis. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. About 80% of scoliosis cases are idiopathic. Which means the cause isn't known. Idiopathic scoliosis may have hereditary factors. Scoliosis afflicts around 2 to 3 percent of the population. Children aged 10 to 15 are the largest age group. And it seems girls are more affected than boys. While common in this age and gender group, a growing number of adults have scoliosis. This often stems from trauma to the spine followed by years of neglect. Congenital scoliosis occurs before birth. These deformities are often from partially-formed vertebrae. Or vertebrae that are fused together. Among children, "wait and see" is often the first-line of traditional treatment. If the scoliosis has progressed beyond a 45° – 50°