 We know it's a common knowledge that there are slip discs in adults. Now does this occur in children as well and if they do occur what are the various causes that can be you know where slip discs can happen in children? Okay that's a very pertinent question actually Nikot. So first let me explain what slip disc is. The disc is a soft rubbery part between the two bones in the spine. That's what the bones are called as vertebrae and the part between the bones that is called as the disc that is a soft rubbery part that is the most vulnerable area of the spine because it is required as a shock absorber and also for flexibility for the movement of the spine. We hear of slip disc in the adults when there is degeneration of that disc and it slips out it bulges out and it presses on the nerve. As I said earlier the spinal cord is in the center of the spinal of the bone and so if the disc bulges out it ends up pressing on the nerve leading to intense pain in the back as well as pain shooting down the legs. So can it happen in the younger adults? Yes I have seen children as young as 12 years 13 years old who have a degenerated disc. Can you imagine a 12 or 13 year old already having a degenerated disc? So that brings us to the question as to why does this happen? Honestly we do not know. There is a lot of research going on as to why a 12 year old child's disc should degenerate. It could be some genetic component. It could be because of micro trauma where we think that some kind of injury has led to loss of blood circulation to the disc and probably there is some kind of a genetic preponderance to this. We do not know but then it is an ongoing research but the fact is that we do see children as young as 12 13 year old who have a degenerated disc and that is something which needs to be treated. It can be treated in many different ways. Of course we are very sensitive when it comes to a very young child and it is a dilemma. It is a problem for the family and everybody is anxious as to how can such a young child have a slip disc.