“As the Twig is Bent, So Grows the Tree”
As a chiropractor I get to work with a variety of patients, but I have a special place in my heart for little ones! Babies and kids need chiropractic adjustments just as much, if not more, than the rest of us. Chiropractic care prevents and corrects nerve interference along the spine to help sick people get healthy and healthy people stay well, hence, promoting and delivering true “health” care, no matter the age. Tragically, many child injuries don't appear to be "that serious" so they rarely get the attention they deserve. This ultimately contributes to their overall health and development going forward. Chiropractic care provides non-surgical and drug free approach to pediatric wellness!
Are Infant Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?
Dr. Joyce Miller and her colleagues at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in the U.K. work closely with the American Chiropractic Association. They examined 781 pediatric patients under three years of age, with the majority under 13 weeks, who received a total of 5,242 chiropractic treatments at a chiropractic teaching clinic in England between 2002 and 2004. There were zero serious adverse effects over the three-year study period. There were seven reported minor adverse effects, such as temporary crying or interrupted sleep. The “adverse” reactions of a chiropractic treatment are so small that for most parents, the benefits of an adjustment far outweigh the improbable chance of an adverse event ever occurring. There is not a single medical procedure that has a lower percentage of adverse complications.
Young or old, the structure of your spine determines the function of your body. Protect and preserve the spine from the very beginning and it will continue to serve you well!
Baby’s First Adjustment
When your child sees a chiropractor for the first time, an examination will be performed to determine where the problems are stemming from. The chiropractor will assess your child just like they would evaluate any other patient, looking for vertebral misalignments or subluxations, among other things. Subluxations are areas of interference in the spine that create blockages within the nervous system and affect the surrounding structures. We also look for leg length inequality, neurological reflexes, tonal changes within muscles and skin, and lack of joint mobility.
Although the evaluation may be similar, the adjustment of an infant will be significantly different than the adjustment for an adult. Because the child's spine, ligaments and musculature supporting the spine are not fully developed, significantly less force is required to correct misalignments. It only takes the amount of pressure used to push comfortably on the eye to make the necessary correction and oftentimes results are quick to set in. The two most common changes are a temporary increase in bowel movements, improved quantity of sleep, and less overall irritability. There are also some studies that indicate chiropractic care may be beneficial for patients suffering with reoccurring ear infections, torticollis, and colic. For more information please visit ICPA4kids.com which is an excellent resource for pediatric chiropractic care.
From the desk of Dr. Lisette Miller Kondrad. Dr. Miller has been in clinical practice for over 7 years and has received her Webster Technique Certification to be able to serve pregnant women and children. She is seen here adjusting her own son, Luca, at 15 months.
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