Themed Crafts Can Lend Support Following Scoliosis Diagnosis
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Every year, the majority of new scoliosis cases are diagnosed in girls at or near the onset of puberty. It is an already emotionally challenging time in a young person’s life, made more complex by a diagnosis that can result in multiple doctor visits, brace fittings, pain, discomfort, and adjusting to wearing a brace.
Arts and crafts, specifically those that include a scoliosis theme, are emerging as a fun way to understand their condition and share their feelings with friends and loved ones.
There’s no denying that crafting is a great way of expressing creativity, but recent studies have also found that crafting is actually good for your health. It reduces stress, helps with anxiety and depression, provides relief from chronic pain, and is a great way to get involved in a community or cause.
While any type of crafting can have physical and emotional benefits, working on crafts with a scoliosis theme is an excellent way for kids that have been recently diagnosed to not only reduce stress, but also get comfortable with expressing themselves as a person with scoliosis.
Looking for ideas?
Motivating Messages: Grab some heavy card stock and colorful brush markers. Find inspiring quotes that can be hand-lettered and hung up for inspiration. Make sure to do a smaller version that will fit in a school locker.- Spot-on Spine Treats: Bakers might enjoy decorating cupcakes with colored frosting topped with small white beads of icing in the shape of a curved spine. One clever Pinterest user made the cupcakes to mark her “Scoli-versary” with friends.
- X-Marks the Spot: With a proxy of a spinal x-ray in hand, use the curve(s) as the artistic inspiration for a sculpture --use clay, kinetic sand, Play-Doh.
- Picture Perfect: Gather acrylic paints and a brush, find a small canvas or a flat stone, and paint a colorful version of the spine. Include a letter or word of motivation for each vertebra or add a motivating message to the piece.
Try Pinterest or Etsy for creative crafting inspiration. Sharing each finished product is also a great idea as it helps the artist to connect and communicate with friends and family and opens the door for meaningful discussions about the diagnosis.