Dr. Isha Khurana

Causes and risk factors of hunchback
Hunchback results when the vertebrae in the upper back become increasingly wedge-shaped and the cause for this can be various problems such as:
Osteoporosis.
Disc degeneration.
Cancer and treatment for cancer.
Scheuermann's disease.
Congenital/birth defects.

Risk factors: there are certain groups of people who are at increased risk for developing hunchback such as:
Adolescent girls who have a poor posture.
Boys aged between 10 and 15 are at increased risk of developing scheuermann's kyphosis.
Older patients suffering from osteoporosis are at a higher risk for spinal fractures which can contribute to hunchback.
Patients having connective tissue disorders (marfan syndrome) are more prone to developing hunchback.
Signs and symptoms of hunchback

Patient may not have any signs or symptoms if the hunchback is mild.
Abnormally curved spine.
Stiffness in the back.
Pain in the back.
Investigations for hunchback

Physical exam.
Neurological exam to check reflexes and muscle strength.
X-rays to determine the degree of curvature and to detect deformities of the vertebrae.
Computerized tomography (ct scan) for more detailed images.
Magnetic resonance imaging (mri) to rule out tumor or infection.
Nerve tests are done if the patient is experiencing any muscle weakness or numbness to check the nerve impulses.
Lung function tests are done for severe hunchback to check if the curve is affecting the patient's ability to breathe.

The early childhood period is considered to be the most important developmental phase throughout the lifespan.  This period focuses on the physical, social/emotional and language/cognitive domains of development of a child, which have direct effects on their overall development as an adult in the future.

Physical Development: Physical developments of a child are associated with the motor skills and physical growth of the child. As a child grows and his or her nervous system become more mature, the child becomes more capable of performing increasingly complex actions such as walking, running, balance, and coordination which involve the larger muscles like arms and legs, as well as, some more intricate skills such as drawing, writing, grasping objects, throwing, waving, and catching, involving the smaller muscles in the fingers, toes, eyes, and other areas. Physical growth follows a directional pattern, such as the body's core, legs and arms develop before the small muscles in the fingers and hands.  The muscles in the center of the body become stronger and develop before those in the feet and hands. Development goes from the head to the toes.

Cognitive Development: Cognitive abilities are associated with memory, reasoning, problem-solving and thinking that continue to emerge throughout childhood. There are four Stages of Cognitive Development:

Language Development: It is the most remarkable development in children. According to several researches, it is found that language development begins at fetal level, as the fetus is able to identify the speech and sound patterns of the mother's voice and by the age of four months, a child can distinguish between sounds and read lips. Infants are able to differentiate between speech sounds from all languages; however, around the age of 10 months they lose this ability and begin to recognize their native language only.