Adults should seek chiropractic care. However, is it advisable for children to see a chiropractor? Below, you’ll learn more about whether chiropractic pediatric is safe.
Is pediatric chiropractic safe?
Yes, it is! Similar to chiropractic care for adults, the main focus is ensuring the spine is well-aligned. The chiropractor usually applies gentle and slight pressure on the spine when treating children. The amount of pressure used to adjust an infant or child is less than you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato.
Should You Take Your Child to a Chiropractor?
Yes! You can take your child to a chiropractor at any age including infancy. Why? For starters, if mom’s pelvis wasn’t balanced (misaligned) this can cause the uterus to twist and pull, tightening the muscles and ligaments of the uterine wall. When this happens the baby can no longer move and may become stuck in the wrong or an unnatural position. We call this In-Utero Constraint.
Common signs we see with babies from In-Utero Constraint:
- Subtle asymmetries (torsions, twists and lateral flexion patterns)
- Facial asymmetries (one eye is more closed, one nasal fold is deeper or flatter, one ear is tipped)
- Feeding difficulties/ prefers one breast over the other
- Digestive issues
- Sleep problems
- Colic
- Autonomic nervous system dysregulation (extra-fussy, cranky baby)
- Scoliosis
- Club feet
- Torticollis
They have issues that would never interest a neurologist. Yet, they don’t seem to be wired up exactly right. These babies don’t have conditions that would respond to drugs or surgery so their pediatricians deem them normal. Their parents seek help because they know something is wrong. What often not realized, is how much this affects the infant as they grow and move, including meeting milestones.
The birthing process can also be traumatic, whether vaginal or cesarean. Often, the back and neck of the newborn baby will experience some trauma. If forceps or a vacuum is used, the risk for injury increases. 95% of all newborns have spinal misalignments.
Winter Fun
As toddlers learn how to crawl, stand, walk, hop, and run, they fall …….A LOT. This can create misalignments of the spine, pelvis, and sacrum. While misalignments can be addressed therapeutically, structural asymmetries don’t just go away on their own. Over time, babies (or their caregivers) compensate for these things. For example, if this baby has a difficult time transferring milk from the breast or if nursing causes nipple damage for the parent, the common solution to the problem is to offer a bottle. While this may get milk into a baby, the underlying problem has not been addressed. When this baby learns to sit and stand on her own, she will do whatever it takes to keep her eyes level with the horizon and her feet pointing in the same direction as her face. A lot of twisting and turning between her feet and her eyes will occur to make these things happen. This is how lifelong postural and movement patterns are established. It’s the setup for certain arrays of aches, pains and injuries — for life.
Fortunately, a certified pediatric chiropractic, such as Green Chiropractic, can help to solve the misalignments through gentle spinal adjustments. In the process, the well-being of the child will improve.
Although chiropractic care for children is safe, you should ensure that you have sought such services from a reputable, experienced CERTIFIED Pediatric Chiropractor who has worked with different pediatric patients. Pediatric Chiropractic Care can only be safe when executed accordingly.
Final Thoughts
As your child grows, they should continue seeking chiropractic treatment even when they grow old. It will help to improve their way of life and their bodies will function optimally at all times.
Some people wonder, “Is pediatric chiropractic safe?” Call Green Chiropractic for more information about chiropractic pediatric and to schedule a consultation with a licensed and certified chiropractor. Our licensed and certified chiropractor is committed to helping the residents of Omaha, Nebraska restored to health wholeness!