Pediatric Chiropractic – Off to a healthy start

Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of health care for children.  A child is never too young to have their spine checked.  Children often don’t need as many treatments as adults will need, and they typically respond to treatment faster than adults.  When a baby or child receives chiropractic care from an early age, they have the opportunity to have potential problems detected and corrected early in life, which can save them from problems and limitations later in their lives.  Regular check-ups help to ensure that proper spinal and postural development is occurring.

It is quite common for babies and children to already have conditions that can benefit from chiropractic care, even at such a young age.  Babies may suffer from torticollis or cervical spine dysfunction as a result of a rapid or complicated delivery.  An excessive traction force exerted on baby’s head, during a cesarean section for example, can cause neck vertebrae to shift out of place.  When babies and children fall a lot while learning to walk or when playing, respectively, their pelvis and low back vertebrae can also shift out of place.  As children grow, or begin with prolonged seated postures in school, chiropractic can help their bodies adapt and maintain their optimal posture, thereby helping them to maintain their spinal health and allowing them to live generally healthier lives in the coming years.

Here are some common problems for parents to look out for that may indicate a health problem in a baby or child:

– a baby’s head being consistently tilted to one side
– restricted neck movement to one side or favoring one side
– feeding difficulties in a young infant, for instance difficulty nursing on the breast, particularly on one side
– disturbed sleeping patterns
– projectile vomiting
– persistent/chronic ear aches or infections
– colic
– headaches
– sore throats
– bed-wetting
– growing pains
– uneven hip or shoulder height