“Should your children have a chiropractic check-up?“

Healthy children

As a concerned parent, you no doubt wonder if your child is as healthy as possible.

Many factors contribute to your child’s overall health. A major component is the communication between your child’s brain and body, a vital link controlling the growth, repair, and function of every tissue and organ in the body. Diet, exercise, rest, and emotional and spiritual support are other important factors.

Chiropractic recognizes the importance of each of these factors as they contribute to your child’s health.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Vertebrae (the bones in your back) fit together so that the nerve supply produced in your brain may filter down your spinal cord and out over your nerves. This is responsible for growth, repair, and healing in your entire body. When normal function of the vertebrae is compromised, nerves can become stretched or twisted (commonly referred to as a nerve “pinch”), and this vital communication system in the body is disrupted.

The Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in the detection and correction of biomechanic insufficiencies. Instead of treating the symptoms of the disease, the chiropractor corrects the dysfunction so that normal body functions may take place. This is done by laying hands on your back/body and gently mobilizing the vertebrae or other affected joints. Everyone responds differently, but if this is the right approach, infants and children typically show improvement rapidly as they do not usually have as many external stresses as adults. The longer an issues has been going on, however, the longer it can take to resolve. Your chiropractor will monitor your child’s progress at every visit to ensure this is the appropriate route for them, and can give other suggestions for home care to help move improvement along. This can include sleep suggestions, nutritional support, and more.

When should your child be checked for subluxations?

Newborn infants should be checked within hours after birth. The birth process, even under natural and controlled conditions, is potentially traumatic. During the pushing stage of labor, the spine, particularly the neck, may be injured as the baby is compressed and pushed down the birth canal. The most frequent issues experienced by newborns results from the pulling, twisting, and compression of the infant’s spine during birth. Examples can include shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injuries, and collarbone fractures.

Although birth trauma may cause immediate symptoms, such as respiratory depression, there may be far-reaching effects that are manifested for years. The child may experience difficulty latching, reflux, ear infections, colic, and other illnesses may result.

Chiropractic is safe and natural.

The chiropractic approach to health care is natural. It does not try to stimulate or inhibit normal body function. Instead, the chiropractor addresses the important relationship between the nervous system, biomechanics, and disease. Many childhood illnesses may be manifested in the pediatric patient due to abnormal body function. In light of this, your chiropractor may be the best doctor to help your child.

We love treating children of all ages, including newborns!

Click here to view a PDF with more information about chiropractic care for your newborn.