Babies, Children and Chiropractic

By Thomas K. Lo, MA, DC

Babies and children grow quickly, and their muscles, ligaments and bones develop rapidly. Because of this, they may particularly benefit from a drugless, painless, and surgically free approach to good health. The goal of chiropractic is to help allow the body to best function and repair itself. Here are a few of the ways this practical care may be helpful to your child.

Babies

Its an incredible fact that 40-50 pounds of pressure are exerted on an infants neck during the birth process. The babys head is forced to rotate by 90 degrees while contractions squeeze their small frame. This stress, combined with the weight of the babys head, puts considerable pressure on the neck, spine, nerves and muscles.

Such trauma may contribute to several painful conditions often found in babies.

Symptoms can begin in the first months of an infants life and may plague a child throughout the early years. Fortunately, your doctor of chiropractic may offer help for your baby and peace of mind for you.

Posture

Signs to watch for include posture signals such as

tilting the head

neck sensitivity

inability to lie on their back

crying when moved out of their favorite sleeping position

difficulty in breastfeeding

limited motion (perhaps with a leg or an arm)

a bent body position

unusual differences in the appearance of one side of the body from the other (such as one hip being higher)

Swelling, pain or constant crying and irritability are also signs of distress that should be evaluated, along with any unusual problems with eating, sleeping or playing.

Colic

Approximately 20% of all babies will suffer colic. Colic is believed to be a babys response to pain although the exact cause of colic is not known. With colic, the baby is otherwise healthy, but will cry violently for lengthy periods of time for no apparent reason. Oftentimes, a colicky baby will not stop crying even when held, given a bottle, or when their diaper is changed.

Other symptoms can include a swollen abdomen (with rumbling noises), passing excess air, and irritating digestive problems. Colic is very stressful to the baby, the parents and the family.

An encouraging new study from Denmark suggests that chiropractic may be helpful to infants with colic even when more traditional treatments have failed. The data included 316 babies treated by 73 chiropractors in 50 different clinics. lmprovement was reported in more than 90% of these children.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are often painful and difficult in both infants and children. Your chiropractor is especially sensitive to detect any changes in muscles or joints that may be associated with or aggravating this condition.

You may find this most helpful when evaluating stubborn repeat infections or when conservative treatment is preferable to medication or surgery.

Children

Children are active and their lifestyle demands that their bodies be in peak form to minimize injury and illness. Chiropractic care, with its holistic and surgically-free approach, may be a welcome partner to help ensure your childs healthiest growth.

The chiropractic methods of adjustments, nutrition, exercise, posture and physical conditioning may also be valuable to your childs general health and safety. Each year, four million children are injured in playground or team sports incidents. You may find your child benefits from your chiropractors preventive and educational focus as well as their ability to treat sprains and strains.