Guide to Children’s Chiropractic Treatment for Parents
With the help and combined guidance of both a Pediatrician and Chiropractor, the building blocks for a healthy childhood can be formulated. These blocks can lead a child to a lifetime of health and good choices. Learn how Chiropractic treatment can benefit your child and why it’s a good idea.
Why Would Your Child Need Chiropractic Treatment?
Kids need chiropractic treatment just like adults. They have 24 individual vertebrae which allow them to bend, twist, turn, and move throughout their busy day.
These vertebrae have another purpose: to protect their very sensitive spinal cord which is the bodies superhighway of information for the nervous system.
Your nervous system is responsible for controlling the entire body and every function to including growing, repairing, and communicating with every cell in the body.
Subluxations occur when two or more vertebrae become misaligned and don’t sit in the natural position. When this happens, the misaligned vertebrae push pressure on the spinal canal which in turns puts pressure on the spinal cord.
The weight of a single feather gently laid on a nerve root in the spinal cord will reduce the conductivity of the nerve root by up to 50%. Every subluxation reduces the body’s ability to communicate with itself and grow and heal in the best natural way.
Almost every activity involving movement that your child does could negatively affect their spine and the communication that their spinal cord has to every organ and cell inside their body.
Some common childhood activities that can cause a subluxation include carrying a backpack, wrestling with a parent, or just riding a bike with their friends.
We can’t bubble wrap our kids and lock them away until they’re adults. Seeing a Chiropractor who is educated in the how the body and structure should work of is a much better idea.
Chiropractors are trained to identify, locate, and treat subluxations and joint dysfunctions using manual adjustments combined with other therapy options.
Would My Child Benefit from Chiropractic Treatment?
Pediatricians and parents alike are always looking for a safe, drug-free, natural way to treat children in order to build the foundation of healthy living.
Some of the common adolescent issues chiropractic treatment can help with include:
- Colic
- Back & Neck Pain
- Injuries from Falling & Active Play
- Growing Pains
- Immune System Function
- Behavior & Attitude
- Sleeping
- Scoliosis
- Posture
- Ear Infections
- And Many More Conditions
Common Questions About Child Chiropractic Treatment
Q: How old does a child have to be in order to receive adjustments from a chiropractor?
A: There is no age restriction when it comes to chiropractic treatment. Many parents have their children adjusted immediately after the birthing process because of the movement of the child’s spine during the birthing process.
Regardless of your child’s age, when they are treated by a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic, the Chiropractor is trained to locate, identify, and treat any issues with different techniques and therapies.
Q: Will chiropractic care hurt my child?
A: Chiropractic adjustments are a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort because minimal force and gentle pressure are used. In fact, most patients feel relief immediately following treatment.
Q: Will my child be in any pain after treatment?
A: Some children as well as adults do feel a small amount of tightness or soreness after treatment. This is most similar to that of starting a new exercise program that the body isn’t used to.
These small symptoms associated with chiropractic treatment are not unexpected and can be soothed with simple solutions. These solutions include drinking plenty of water, using ice packs on the afflicted area, and light stretching to reduce the soreness after treatment.
Q: What is the activator?
A: The Activator Method is one of the most widely researched gentle instrument chiropractic adjusting techniques used on children and seniors today. Rather than using the hands to restore joint motion, a small hand-held device is used.
Q: How often will my child have to receive treatment?
A: A licensed Doctor of Chiropractic will look at each child’s ailments and injuries and decide on a treatment plan on an individual basis. We’re all individuals with different bodies and healing abilities based on our own genetics.
Q: How do I explain the “popping” noise of an adjustment to my child?
A: The popping sounds they will hear are their joints releasing tiny pockets of gases. A chiropractic adjustment does not affect the bones on either side of the joint, but rather the connective tissue that holds the joint together.
If you’re wondering if chiropractic treatment is right for you child, our Chiropractors at 417 Spine can perform a Consultation, Exam and X-rays (if necessary).
Based on the findings of your child’s intake and exam, our chiropractors can elect to treat your child in cooperation with other healthcare professionals to include your family’s pediatrician.
