What are the benefits of Chiropractic Care for Kids

Chiropractic care as a baby or child is just as important as getting adjustments when you are an adult.  Because the nervous system controls and coordinates every function in the body, regular chiropractic care starting at birth (or preferably in utero) helps children to grow up healthier and happier. Even "normal" births can cause trauma to the spine, especially the neck and cranium of the newborn. When forceps, vacuum extraction, or caesarean section medical procedures are used during childbirth, the chance of trauma increases.

 10 reasons why parents take their children to see a chiropractor:

1.      To maximise and increase their child’s plasticity (brain and nerve development)

2.      To enhance their child’s overall wellbeing

3.      To strengthen immunity and reduce the incidence of colds, earaches and general illness

4.      To help with colic/irritable baby

5.      To help with asthma, breathing difficulties and allergies

6.      To improve spinal posture

7.      To improve their child’s ability to concentrate

8.      To assist with behavioural disorders and offer greater emotional wellbeing

9.      To help alleviate bed wetting and digestive problems

10.    To assist with sleep issues

So how does it work?

‘An estimated 27- 41 kgs of force is used on an infant’s neck during ‘normal’ delivery.’

If your brain and spinal cord are protected by your skull and spine, can you imagine what 27-41kgs of stretching force can do to the nervous system when applied to a newborn?

Children are learning all the time by running, jumping, falling, tackling and sitting, what effect is this having on how their nervous system is working?

The effect of everyday-play on a child’s body can often cause a reduction in full movement of the spine and the joints surrounding the nerves. This restriction in movement of joints in the spine, and how it affects the function of the nerve, is called a ‘vertebral subluxation’. A subluxation can therefore interfere with the integrity of nervous system function, meaning that the communication between the brain and body via the nervous system may not be as finely tuned as it could be. This will impact on the healthy and optimal function of the whole body, including organs, as well as the spine.

For example, a subluxation in the neck could affect the function of the nerves to the throat and tonsils contributing to recurrent tonsillitis. A subluxation in the upper back or neck could affect the nerves to the spine, contributing to the symptoms of asthma, colic, or reflux. A subluxation in the lower back could affect the nerves to the bladder, contributing to children wetting their bed for longer. Subluxations may also contribute to recurrent ear infections, behavioral disorders, and problems with concentration or memory at school.

Read more about the benefits of chiropractic care in relation to your child's learning and behaviour in our Blog Post : Learning and Behaviour

Video about Babies and Chiropractic

Video about checking children’s spines and wearing school bags

How can I tell if my child has a subluxation?

Your baby may:

• Have a preference for feeding on one side
• Tilt his head to one side when lying on his back
• Arch her back when she cries
• Suffer with colic or reflux
• Be a poor sleeper or generally hard to settle
• Have a misshaped head
• Be slow to lift their head, crawl, or walk

Your toddler or child may:

• Have one shoulder blade that is higher or sticks out more than the other
• Tilt their head to one side, or have one ear higher than the other
• Walk or stand with their toes pointing together
• Have asthma, recurrent tonsillitis or ear infections, or may still be wetting their bed
• Have a short temper, or find it hard to concentrate for any length of time (including ADD/ ADHD children)