Infants and children are some of the biggest beneficiaries of chiropractic care. Surprised? Those who think of chiropractic as primarily a solution for neck and back problems are surprised to learn that chiropractic can be helpful for many types of newborn and childhood health problems.
The nervous system runs throughout the body and controls all its functions. It relies on constant, clear communication from the joints (called proprioception) and muscles to function and develop optimally. Spinal misalignment (joint dysfunction), puts pressure on the nerves and can cause miscommunication between the body and the brain, resulting in health issues and dis-ease. Chiropractic care can restore proper joint function and communication, allowing your child’s body to heal and grow at its best.
Why does my baby need chiropractic care?
The cause of many newborn health issues such as colic, reflux, breastfeeding difficulties, sleep disturbances, constipation, allergic reactions, chronic infections and behavioural problems can often be traced to nervous system irritation caused by spinal and cranial misalignments. These misalignments can occur at, or prior to birth, from the position the baby is forced to adopt in utero to the actual birth process.
Many developmental milestones such as learning to hold up the head, sitting upright, crawling, and walking are all activities that are affected by spinal alignment and are important times to have a child’s spine checked. As their bodies are growing, we have a powerful window of opportunity to have a heightened impact on their health potential.
When should I take my baby?
It is never too early to bring your child to the chiropractor. Infants just minutes old have been checked by Dr. Yael. The birthing process is physically strenuous for both mom and baby, so it is best to get them both cared for as soon as possible afterwards.
But it is also never too late. Chiropractic care for infants and kids will vary as much as chiropractic for adults. It is often difficult to know when your kids need to see the chiropractor because they do not generally present with pain. To help with this issue, we recommend setting regular Well-Child visits, the same way you would with your dentist and pediatrician. These help catch minor issues before they turn in to major problems and allow kids to truly maximize their health potential.
- Truly maximizing the benefits of chiropractic care for your child starts by taking care of the pregnant mom
- First month of life (ASAP!).Newborns can be safely treated from the day they are born.
- Every 3 months for the first year
- Every 6-12 months for every year thereafter
Other times to consider bring kids in for an appointment include:
- Major milestones (such as starting to sit up, crawl, walk, etc.)
- Any trauma or falls
- If you notice any signs of imbalance (limping, head tilting, etc.)
Why do my kids need chiropractic?
A child encounters many physical stresses during their growing years – falls, sports injuries, playground bumps, heavy school bags and sitting all day in the classroom. The resulting problems in children’s spines can occur at almost any point in their development and growth.
Benefits of Regular Chiropractic Care for Kids
- Helps bones, muscles, and joints grow strong. Ensuring proper movement within the joints facilitates proper communication between the body and the brain.
- Boosts the immune system. Kids under regular chiropractic care have less colds, ear infections, asthma, and allergies.
- Improves learning and behavior. Chiropractic care, especially in conjunction with nutrition and neurosensory work, can help children struggling with learning and behavioral issues. Children with ADHD and Autism
- Spectrum Disorders can greatly benefit from chiropractic care.
Does it hurt?
In general, chiropractic care for children is painless, most parents report that their children enjoy their spinal adjustments, and that they look forward to their next visit.
Is it safe?
Yes. Chiropractors have been adjusting children’s spines for more than 100 years and have an excellent safety record. Chiropractic care is gentle, effective, and has no undesired side effects. Studies show that kids who receive chiropractic care throughout their life have stronger immune systems, better sleep, and happier dispositions.
Why hasn’t my pediatrician or GP recommended chiropractic care?
Medical Doctors and pediatricians are not usually taught about chiropractic care in medical school and are generally not familiar with how chiropractic care works. Ideally, your child should have both a pediatrician and a chiropractor. Your pediatrician or GP will be available for crisis care and to provide medications when necessary and your chiropractor will focus on quality-of-life care and boosting the body’s natural ability to thrive.
Because chiropractic care is new to most medical practitioners, we are always available and happy to answer any of your pediatrician or GP’s questions and provide them with the latest research on pediatric chiropractic care.
How is chiropractic care different from medical care?
Chiropractic care is different from medical care in focus and treatment tools. Chiropractors focus on the neuro-musculo-skeletal system and optimizing your body’s ability to heal and thrive on its own. Medical care focuses on crisis care. Care when you present with symptoms. Medical Doctors (MD) primarily use pharmaceutical agents to affect chemical change and surgery to affect physical change, whereas Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) affect physical and neural change using primarily their hands and encourage chemical balance using nutrition. The least invasive therapy should usually be approached first. Both medical and chiropractic care are important and they can collaborate together and complement each other for the best care for you and your family.
Many of the hard-to-correct problems we see in adults are long-standing problems that began, and remained undetected in childhood. In order to for our children to be healthy, we need to focus less on sickness (what is wrong with their bodies) and more on health (how to help them express their personal inner health potential.
Dr. Yael has been providing chiropractic care to infants and children for over 20 years. Her children and all of her siblings’ children have been adjusted from the moment they were born and continue to get adjusted on a regular basis to maintain and enhance their health.
Dr. Yael has undergone specific advanced training to be able to address the special needs of children including those with neurodevelopmental disorders like cerebral palsy, autism and ADHD. She combines her nutrition training with chiropractic care and her passion for this population to provide the unique, tailored support that these families require. She has added multiple providers to her clinic to work with collaboratively so that these children and their families can obtain the best care.
