Chiropractic for Infants and Kids
Chiropractors have been caring for children for many years. Chiropractic care is safe, natural and has incredible health benefits, especially for infant and kids! As children’s bodies are developing and growing, we have an opportunity to make a huge impact on the health of their spine and nervous system. Many parents are now seeking alternative, natural forms of health care for their families. The purpose of this page is address some of the common concerns parents have about chiropractic care for infants and children.
Why Do Kids Need Chiropractic Care?
Young children’s bodies are developing and changing at a rapid rate. During this time, its important to have compete, proper joint motion and balanced muscles for bones to develop properly. Joint motion is also important for communication (or proprioception) between the nerves, the brain and the spinal cord.
Our goal is to get all parts of your child’s nervous system “communicating” and functioning optimally. Chiropractic care improves the overall health of the nervous system, which can benefit your child’s health in many exciting ways!
The first treatment with a chiropractor will involve a full history of your child’s health, and a complete physical exam. Our Doctors are trained to evaluate and treat common childhood aliments, and to find the source of the problem (even when pain is not the primary complaint, as is often the case).
Chiropractic treatment for children is extremely gentle, and very different than treatment on an adult. Most parents are surprised at how little pressure is used when working on an infant or child – often no more than the pressure of a light finger touch (or the amount of force you would use to check the ripeness of a tomato). Typically, chiropractic adjustments do not make “cracking” or “popping” sounds, the way adults do.
A treatment will also involve additional exercise therapy or home care, nutritional recommendations and other modalities of care as needed.
Is it Safe?
Yes! Several large-scale studies performed recently across Europe and North America verify that chiropractic care for infants and children is incredibly safe. Our Chiropractors have taken extensive additional training to safely and effectively care for the needs of each individual child – and is always very careful to treat your family with a gentle touch and the utmost respect.
What Are Some Common Reasons to Bring Your Child to a Chiropractor?
Below is a list of common conditions that typically respond very well to chiropractic care. Though some of these issues are not thought of as a “chiropractic issue,” treatment with a properly trained chiropractor can have a profound impact on the following:
- Torticollis and Plagiocephaly (Flat Head)
- Constipation
- Colic
- Trouble sleeping and Night Terrors
- Trouble breastfeeding and Tongue/Lip Ties
- Scoliosis
- Growing Pains
- Ear Infections
- Developmental Delays (not rolling, crawling, sitting)
When and How Often Should I Bring Them In?
It is never too soon to bring your child in to see the chiropractor, our chiropractors have treated infants as young as 7 days old! Birth is a very strenuous experience for Mom and baby, so its best to have them both checked soon afterwards. If there is a specific concern, it is always easier to correct the problem sooner rather than later. However, children can benefit from care at any age, and its never too late to get started!
Treatment schedules vary widely for each individual child. If there are no immediate concerns, we recommend a “wellness schedule” that involves a check up every 3 months for the first year (or during the transition between major milestones – rolling, sitting, crawling, walking) and then every 4-6 months afterwards.