There are many common disorders children will face that are linked to spinal dysfunction. Chiropractic care can help re-align children’s bodies and help them overcome these common ailments.
Spinal Dysfunction & Disorders
The link between common disorders and spinal dysfunction can be found in the ideal that powers chiropractic work. Chiropractic is based on the belief that, when the spine is out of alignment, nothing in the body can work at its highest efficiency. The spine, as the center support of the body, has to be in alignment or it will throw off all the other processes in the body.
Here are some of the common disorders children face that can be linked with spinal dysfunction:
- Recurring ear infections
- Colic/reflux
- Persistent colds and soar throats
- Asthma
- Scoliosis
- Headaches
- Growing pains
- Bedwetting
- Constipation
- ADHD
There are a few symptoms that can be found in children that signify they may have spinal problems. Some of these symptoms include difficulties breastfeeding for very young children, holding one shoulder higher than the other, having restricted movement in their neck to one side, and/or disturbed sleeping patterns.
Safety: ICPA’s Findings
ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) recently found that the results from their study conducted in the United States, Canada, and Europe, which included more than 10,000 office visits in all, showed the chiropractic adjustments might be one of the safest healthcare methods available for children. Out of over 10,000 visits included in the study, only a few children experienced discomfort. The discomfort was described as minor and was sometimes accompanied by fuzziness for a short period following their adjustment.
Overall, ICPA found that chiropractic work has an excellent safety rating and they also claim that the risks of children suffering notable injury from having their spine adjusted are very minimal.
Why Choose Chiropractic?
One of the main reasons parents seek chiropractic care for kids is because they have suffered physical trauma from some type of incident (sports injury, etc.). However, children can also benefit from regular checkups and alignments before an injury occurs. Regular checkups can help identity potential issues before they get to serious, and they can also help parents overcome the common disorders listed above that very few people realize can be linked with spinal dysfunction.
In the ICPA’s study, in addition to relieving some common disorders children were facing, they also noted these unexpected improvements in many children. First, parents reported that their children were sleeping better and more soundly through the night. It was less difficult for them to get their children into bed and they woke up fewer times than normal. Second, parents also reported that their children has improved behaviors and attitudes overall. They found that children were more corporative and eager to listen, and that they acted out less than normal. Third, the children experience improved immune system function overall, experience fewer cold symptoms and generally appearing and feeling healthier overall.
When Is It Ideal For Children To Visit A Chiropractor?
One of the most common questions parents ask is when they should take their child to a chiropractor. Dr. Dee at Healing Hands Chiropractic sees patients of all ages, from birth to the elderly! There is no minimum age to visit Healing Hands Chiropractic, and, in fact, it is recommended that you start as soon as possible. The thought behind this is that your child’s growing body is going to face many stressors as it tries to grow how it should.
Babies will often experience such stress while still in the womb if they are forced out of standard alignment. Therefore, pregnant women often begin visiting a chiropractor before their baby is even born. If that’s the case, the Webster Technique will be applied, which helps bring the mother into alignment. This technique will focus on aligning the pelvis, which can potentially improve birth outcome. The first woman who had the Webster Technique applied to her back when it was founded by Dr. Larry Webster in the late seventies first came to her chiropractor with a breeched baby. Shortly after visiting her chiropractor regularly, the baby moved into a head-down position.
After birth, as the child begins growing, sleeping positions and many other factors will be putting stress on their brittle bones to continue growing against the stress into the right position.
For babies, ideal times to have them checked by a chiropractor include when they begin holding their head up, sitting up on their own, crawling, and walking on their own. As your baby grows into a small child, additional stressors will be added from running, playing, and carrying around their school supplies. Sitting all day in the classroom can also put undue stress on their back, especially if they are not sitting with proper posture. Slouching, leaning over their desk, or leaning to one side when sitting can all put additional stress on their growing spine and increase the chances of spinal misalignment.
Healing Hands Chiropractic Can Help
Dr. Dee and her excellent staff at Healing Hands Chiropractic treat patients of all ages. We firmly believe that chiropractic benefits every age group. Contact Healing Hands Chiropractic today to get your family started with excellent chiropractic care!
