It’s never too early, or too late, to bring your child to the Chiropractor.
More and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children. Many of the spinal problems seen in adults started as early as birth. All birthing processes cause stress and trauma to an infant’s spine and developing nervous system; this initiates many newborn health complaints; such as colic, breathing problems, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and even chronic ear infections.
There have been several large-scale research studies verifying the safety and efficacy of chiropractic care for children. The amount of force used to adjust an infant is comparable to the amount of force used to test a ripe tomato. Bones change in response to outside physical stresses placed upon them (concept known as Wolff’s Law) and proper joint motion is needed to distribute these forces for optimal bone development. There are periods of time when skeletal growth is accelerated (known as Growth Spurts) during which balance in the muscles and joints is vitally important. Your child’s nervous system is also developing at a rapid rate during these “spurts”. Just like the bones need proper joint motion for optimal development, so do the nerves in order to develop optimal communication (or innervation).
Starting at birth, as your child begins to walk and play, small yet significant spinal misalignments (subluxations) may occur. If neglected, the injuries during this period of rapid growth may lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma throughout childhood will affect the future development of the spine leading to impaired nervous system function. Any interference to the vital nervous system will adversely affect the body’s ability to function at its best.
Although the basic premise for chiropractic care is the same whether the patient is 80 years old or 8 months old, the ever-growing and changing active bodies of children have distinct needs depending on their stage of development. Generally, children respond much faster and more profoundly to chiropractic care than adults do. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify spinal misalignments, correct them early in life and help to avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health.
-Dr Dave Herlihy