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Kids and Chiropractic Care

NZ0S7796_232x141.jpg Families that get adjusted together stay healthy together.

A baby's spine grows 50% in the first year (that's like a 6 footer growing to 9 feet tall), making it very susceptible to injury. Your child's spine must also develop curves in the neck and low back during that first year in order to continue growing properly in childhood. After that first year, the child's activity level increases, subjecting the spine to repeated physical trauma. Look at a child who's learning how to walk. Can you imagine falling on YOUR butt so many times a day? And have you seen older children playing on the playground? Those repeated stressors can cause vertebrae to misalign and affect spinal health.

babyfoot_130x200.jpg Most parents understand the importance of check-ups for their child’s eyes, ears and even their teeth, but draw a blank when it comes to the spine.  People think, "Chiropractic care for my child... Why??? Her back doesn’t hurt!!!  We have been ingrained with the mind set that the only time one should see a doctor of any type is when we’re in pain or have symptoms. This is a very poor model of health.  The spine and nerve system check-up could be one of the most important milestones made in your child’s health. The only health care professional adequately qualified to do so is a Doctor of Chiropractic. Our experience is that a healthy start for the spine is every bit as important for the child as it is for the adult.

Why do Children Need Chiropractic Care?

A young spine, with few exceptions, usually develops perfectly by the end of pregnancy.  It's what happens around the time of birth and in the months thereafter which can sometimes upset the normal functioning of the spine. Spinal segments can be pushed out of place or jammed by the position of the baby in the womb, or can suffer similar problems during labor from the trauma of the trip through the birth canal, or even from the birthing process itself.  During a natural birth, newborns frequently suffer subluxations as they are pulled,  twisted, and compressed.  Damage may be more severe in a difficult delivery, where infants may sustain damage to the spinal cord, spine and delicate nerve tissue.  Brewer and Presser report that the vertebrae are easily pulled out of alignment by excessive and forceful extension of the infant's head with forceps. Medical research has identified the fact that many problems early in a child's life can come from birth trauma.1,2

Dr. Gotfried Guttman, M.D. found that childhood SUBLUXATIONS had received "... far too little attention" and that due to the frequent occurrence of such problems (especially surrounding the birth process), he recommended that a chiropractic spinal checkup should be performed as soon as possible after birth.

Spinal problems can also occur as a result of the frequent falls suffered by young infants in the first months of life. A fall from a bed, a sudden stop in an automobile, or any significant unsupported movement of the head and neck in an infant can induce excessive movement in the spine causing SUBLUXATIONS.  At the other end of the spine, the act of learning to walk, and the number of simple falls encountered in this way, can induce trauma to the lower spinal segments and to the large sacroiliac joints of the pelvis. Young children learning to walk also fall and hit their heads. These apparently innocent, frequently occurring events can also create spinal subluxations.1

SUBLUXATIONS, if not identified and corrected, can lead to much more significant problems in adulthood. All too often parents are assured that nothing is broken, or it will go away, or he’ll bounce back in no time and they never get the child’s spine checked. Many childhood and adult health problems can be traced back to spinal problems from seemingly harmless accidents such as these. Doctors of Chiropractic are the only Health Care professionals adequately trained to locate, analyze and correct such spinal problems.

We recommend that all children receive regular preventative spinal check-ups.

Chiropractic care need not be limited to "back-related" problems. Correcting SUBLUXATIONS and the resulting nerve stress can boost the immune system and reduce the occurrence of many childhood ailments. Additionally, in cases of emotional, learning, behavioral and neurological problems, pilot studies have confirmed that chiropractic care has a positive effect on: anxiety, inability to concentrate, low mental stamina, hyperactivity, discipline problems and even school grades.3,4,5

Regular chiropractic care helps to keep the body’s defensive systems at optimal performance all year round. Give your child the best start possible.

"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."

Get your children’s spines checked for SUBLUXATIONS. For more information
contact us today at (831) 375-5151.

For current research, check out these websites:

In any instance where a serious illness may be present, we recommend chiropractic care in conjunction with medical care. Chiropractic care boosts the body’s inner healing mechanisms aiding in the healing process and relief of symptoms.


References:

  1. Fysh, Peter, DC, "Children Need Chiropractic Too." Dynamic Chiropractic. July 1994. V12; Issue 16.
  2. Brewer, G., Greene, J.: Right from the Start. Emmaus Pa., Rodar, 1981
  3. J.M. Giesen, D.B. Center and R.A. Leach, "An evaluation of chiropractic manipulation as a treatment for hyperactivity in children."  Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. October 1989: 353-363.
  4. Walton E.V., "Chiropractic effectiveness with emotional, learning and behavioral impairments." ICA Review. 29, September 1975: 2-5, 21-22.
  5. Philips, "Case study: The effect of utilizing spinal manipulation and craniosacral therapy as the treatment approach for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder." in Proceedings to the National Conference on Chiropractic and Pediatrics, 1991: 57-74.