Scoliosis Screening
Form 4400 must be returned by February 15th. If you do not want your child to be screened, or is already under a doctor's care, please return this form.
If this form is not received, then your child will be screened on March 8th.
Scoliosis screening is required for all students in the 6th and 8th grades who attend public school in Georgia.
- Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine.
- About 3% of children are affected by scoliosis.
- It can occur at any age but is often noticeable between the ages of 9 and 16, when growth occurs rapidly.
- Early detection is important to avoid potentially serious problems later in life if a spinal curve is not recognized, treated, and it continues to progress.
- The screening test is an observation of the child’s back when standing and bending forward.
There are options for how the screening can be completed:
- Submit a completed Form #4400, (Spanish version) Certificate of Scoliosis screening. Form #4400 can be completed by a physician with an active GA license or person working under the supervision of a physician with an active GA license, the local health department, or licensed school nurse. A completed Form #4400 should be provided to the school within the first 90 days of 6th and 8th grade.
- Children can participate in a school scoliosis screening event. Students without a completed Form #4400 on file will participate in the scoliosis screening during a school screening event.
3. Parents or guardians can choose not to have their student screened for scoliosis by selecting the opt-out option on Form #4400 and returning it to school.