Chiropractic care is incredibly beneficial to children and infants, and here's why: Infants and children have a nervous system that is growing very rapidly. The Nervous System is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that the brain uses to control the entire body. When the spine is properly aligned through a Chiropractic adjustment, the nervous system can operate properly. It is important that children and infants have an aligned spine so that their body can operate to help them grow and fight off illness. A properly aligned spine improves the function of the immune system, digestive system, pulmonary system (breathing), and more.
Infants and children have a nervous system that is growing at a very accelerated rate. The Nervous System is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that the brain uses to control the entire body. This includes the Autonomic Nervous System that controls things we are not aware of such as the immune system, breathing, heartbeat, and digestion just to name a few.
Infancy
Infants can benefit from Chiropractic care from as early on as minutes after they are born. It is common for infants to experience their first subluxation at birth. A subluxation is the misalignment of a spinal vertebrae which pinches the nerves causing nerve interference. This can commonly be caused when the infant is assisted out of the birth canal by the Mid-wife or OBGYN. Even a C-section birth can lead to a subluxation. Symptoms which can indicate a subluxation include uneven head position, breast feeding more on one side than the other, cramping in the abdomen after feeding, ear infection, colic, and reflux. We have taken care of infants with each and every one of these symptoms and corrected spinal subluxations to facilitate overall wellness
Childhood Care
Children are very active and growing rapidly. It is often that they acquire spinal subluxations due to stress on their bodies. This stress can be physical, chemical, or even emotional. Subluxations in children can lead to many different health issues such as ear infections, asthma, allergies, chronic colds, irritability, digestive issues, headaches, etc.
When starting up a child at our office, the doctors perform a non-invasive spinal exam, then the child is given a very gentle and specific chiropractic adjustment to correct the nerve interference. This allows the child's body to function optimally. We also see many young patients for wellness adjustments throughout their lives and until they go away to college!
Chiropractic and Scoliosis
Scoliosis is an abnormal side curvature of the spine. It is the result of the brain trying to even out eye level against the horizon when the spine is subluxated or out of alignment. Scoliosis usually starts in childhood and progresses rapidly during puberty. In some cases, scoliosis can be caused by an abnormally shaped vertebrae in the spine. This is referred to as Congenital Anomaly. The chiropractor will check for this with an x-ray if needed. Most commonly scoliosis is caused by physical stress on the spine as a child grows. There can be a genetic pre-disposition to how a child's spine reacts to physical stress. It is extremely important that a child with scoliosis receives chiropractic care before puberty starts, so that it doesn’t progress to be worse. The longer the spine goes without receiving Chiropractic care, the harder the scoliosis will be to correct.
Even healthy children benefit from Chiropractic care. It helps to guarantee that their nervous system is operating correctly. This assures a strong and healthy Autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary function in the body. Children should receive regular Chiropractic care for wellness and to make sure they stay healthy.