Pediatric chiropractic care is very light and gentle. A lot of times the mom or dad even hold the baby during the adjustment.
If you are interested in seeing if we can help your little one, give us a call (360) 260-6903.
Transcription
Hey, it’s Dr. Troy here. Vancouver, Washington.
Today I want to talk about chiropractic pediatrics.
I have had three children born at home. We’ve been adjusting them ever since they were born. A lot of people go “What? You go to a chiropractor for your child? They don’t have a bad spine.” Well, the reality is that the bones protect the nerves. Especially during the birth process, there can be a lot of stress, a lot of strain, not only on the mother but the child.
I recently had a two-week-old baby come see me. Actually, the O.B. who delivered the baby said, “you need to take him to a chiropractor”. He’s having some shoulder problems, he wasn’t nursing, he wasn’t sleeping, he wasn’t having proper bowel movements. I adjusted him six times, and at the end of those six visits in two weeks the kid was 100%. He started breastfeeding again. Mom was surprised because she was feeding him formula. She wanted to breastfeed, and within six visits he got his desire to breastfeed back, his shoulder was working perfectly, he was sleeping through the night, and was again having regular bowel movements.
And so you ask “How is that possible?” You got to understand that the bones protect these nerves here and if the bones are in alignment that hole, called the intervertebral frame, that the nerve sits in is going to be open. Life is going to flow, whether it’s to his stomach, to his arm. But since this child went through a pretty extreme labor, the bones shifted out of alignment, especially in his neck. That is where we found most of the interference, in his neck, and the nerves in his lower neck innervate the shoulder.
I told the mom we’re going to do a series of adjustments on your child or your infant, and open up those nerves to restore the nerve force so the body can heal itself. Babies are very easy to adjust. They don’t have forty, fifty, sixty years of trauma, and scar tissue, and fibrotic gristle and degeneration. Children tend to respond really, really fast. So, it’s very light.
The difference between an adult and a baby is the amount of pressure. Sometimes we use an instrument to adjust them. We also, a lot of times, the mother will hold the baby. So, kids who get adjusted respond really well, and we’ve just seen great success.
People who are scared, I’ve adjusted hundreds of children. I’ve studied through the International Pediatric Chiropractic Association. There’s a lot of different techniques you can use on children to help them restore their health and get their life back on track.
So, if you have a child, if you have a pediatric child and you want to get them checked, call and schedule a consultation, (360) 260-6903.
More Information on Pediatric Chiropractor
While adult chiropractic medicine is a widely accepted practice, the idea of back and spine treatments on children, especially young ones, can be quite surprising. But the truth is that by working with patients in early life, chiropractors are able to correct problems before they become severe while building a sustainable approach to wellness that the child can carry with them throughout their lifetime.
The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (http://icpa4kids.org/About-the-ICPA/about-the-icpa.html), a non-profit committed to promoting public awareness of chiropractic family wellness, advocates for quality chiropractic care for children, infants, and pregnant women. They believe that with “extensive education, advanced training, and practice-based research,” it’s possible to safely treat and care for children of all ages.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that nearly 3 percent of children have been treated with some form of chiropractic manipulation. In 2009, there were over 68 million pediatric visits to chiropractors. Approximately 17 percent of chiropractic patients are under the age of 18, with nearly 8 percent aged 5 or younger. (https://www.acatoday.org/News-Publications/ACA-News-Archive/ArtMID/5721/ArticleID/165/Safety-and-Effectiveness-of-Pediatric-Chiropractic)
Special Considerations for Young Patients
The principles that govern chiropractic medicine are the same no matter what age the patient is. The only difference is that with extremely young patients, it’s important to reduce the amount of pressure that’s used. A child’s skeletal system, in particular, the joints, are not fully formed yet so more care must be taken.
It’s pretty obvious that young children are much more flexible than adults. This is because their joints consist of more cartilage and are not as bony. Over time, the natural wear and tear that goes along with the aging process will stiffen their skeletons, but until then, chiropractors must be careful to adjust the adjust the amount force and thrust they employ.
The Reasons for Pediatric Care
There can be a number of causes that would lead to the need for chiropractic care involving young children. The first category is conditions related to birth. The birthing process can sometimes be quite traumatic and lead to misplaced joints or spine that will have a significant impact on a child’s health. Such issues can cause problems with nursing, increased rates of infection, and other conditions that will require a chiropractor.
Another category involves sports injuries, especially with older children and teenagers. The good news is that when a child suffers an injury, they will likely heal faster than an adult. The bad news is that if not properly treated, an injury at a young age can lead to a permanent malformation that will endure for a lifetime. In these instances, treatment can help address the injury and ensure that no permanent damage takes place.
No matter what the cause, treating a condition early is the best way to ensure that your child will be able to lead a healthy and well-balanced life.
Summary
If you have a child who is suffering from back, shoulder or joint issues, chiropractic care can help. The trained medical professionals at Zenapatic Chiropractic have the experience and expertise to treat children of all ages in a safe and helpful manner. Contact us to schedule a FREE consultation where we can assess your child’s condition and recommend a treatment plan. Call today to start your child down the path to a healthy lifestyle.
