Most responsible parents realize the imprtance of regular checkups for their child’s teeth, eyes, ears, nose and throat, but few think of checking the health of their spine. Ironically, a spinal checkup is probably one of the most important checkups your child can have. The spine is the lifeline of the body: running through it is the spinal cord, a cable-like structure containing billions  of nerve fibers whose job it is to send messages from the brain to the rest of the body, in order to ensure the body’s functioning correctly. It is during a child’s formative years that the spine is at its most vulnerable. Even before a baby is born, the baby’s head, neck and back are placed under a lot of stress as it moves within the womb. This truama is often further increased during the birth process, especially if this is prolonged, breach or involves a forcep during delivery.

Is it safe to adjust a child?

Chiropractic is absolutely safe for children. Doctors of Chiropractic use very gentle and specific techniques for children. The purpose of Chiropractic is to remove interference to the nervous system, which is the control centre for all of the body’s organs, tissues and systems. Chiropractic adjustments release the body’s healing powers in children just like in adults.

Why do infants need Chiropractic?

The birth process is highly traumatic and con introduce great stress to the infant’s skull, spine and pelvis. Infants should be checked by a Chiropractor for spinal subluxations that my impair nerve function and can contribute to colic, earache and asthma. As babies grow, they begin to crawl, sit and walk by using their spine. Proper alignment is essential for ensuring normal function.

Why do children need Chiropractic?

Children are highly susceptible to trauma in their spines. Since spines grow rapidly during the first five years of life, checking for abnormalities during this time is critical for proper development. Though symptoms may not surface until years later, injury to vital nerves can result in a lifetime of serious health problems.

Chiropractic is especially necessary for young athletes in contact sports or informal recreation. However, parents bring their children to Chiropractors for everyday health concerns such as asthma, common infections, bed-wetting, falls, ADD and colds. Chiropractic care allows children to have better nerve function, which affects all of the body’s other systems, and develop to their highest potential.

Excerpts taken from www.entertogetwell.ca and www.lifechiropracticandmassage.com.

Ear Infections: Reduced drainage via cervical lymph system and Eustachian tube allows fluid to build up in the middle of the ear, making it an inviting environment for bacteria and viruses.  Instead of treatment that tries to kill the bacteria or virus, a more natural approach would be to restore normal drainage to the ears and neck by restoring homeostasis. This is the chiropractic approach.

 Bed- Wetting: One of the most common causative factors involved in nocturnal enuresis is categorized as ladder innervation disorder. This is the area in which the Doctor of Chiropractic can be of help to the child. Chiropractic studies have indicated that bed-wetting has been resolved when vertebral subluxations (nerve interferences) are corrected.

 Hyper-Activity: All body functions are controlled by the brain sending and receiving messages over nerves. When vertebral subluxations disrupt vital communications system, one or more parts of the body may begin to fail, as well as health in general. Doctors of Chiropractic have reported success with attention deficit disorders for years. This success has been supported by recent studies.

Asthma and Allergies: There is ample research documenting the intimate connection between the spinal column, the nervous system, and the respiratory system. In several studies researchers found spinal adjustments give superior respiratory function and chest mobility when compared to conventional medicine.  Kids with asthma and allergies do great.

Posture: When vertebrae move out of their normal alignment, neurological disturbances known as subluxations can result. This condition impedes the normal transmission of mental impulses (nerve supply) from the brain to the body, thus inhibiting body functions. Subluxations disturb the “righting flex” which allows the body to adapt to abnormal equilibrium permitting the body to stand upright.

Headaches and Back Pain: Most common causes of headaches and back pain are the vertebral subluxations. Doctors of Chiropractic help to correct these problems with specific adjustments to the spine that are safe and effective for patients with many common forms of neck/back pain and headaches.  Nobody should have pain, especially kids.

Children respond extremely well to chiropractic care; they heal very quickly and the underlying problem is removed, preventing damage that occurs over time…