Pediatric Chiropractic Care & Treatment

As a parent, the health of your growing child is one of your top priorities in life. In this day in age, more and more parents are turning to natural, alternative health practices to meet the needs of their family. You might not have considered pediatric chiropractic care for your child before, and you may even have several questions about the safety of the practice- but this article will explain how your child can benefit from regular chiropractic treatments.

First of all, is it safe?

Absolutely. The pressure applied while performing chiropractic adjustments on a child or infant is comparable to the same pressure you use when testing the ripeness of a fruit at a grocery store. Parents will know that kids can handle a lot more pressure than that!

Why do kids need chiropractic care?

As children’s bodies grow and develop, so do their nervous systems. Regular chiropractic adjustments help the nervous systems and body remain in sync and stimulated. As kids go through growth spurts, their bodies do undergo a fair amount of stress as the body gets used to the new joint motion. This is a normal part of development, but regular adjustments can make ‘transitioning’ a little easier. It helps with balance, agility, and general coordination, making for generally happier and healthier children.

What’s the difference between adult chiropractic care and pediatric chiropractic care?

The premise of chiropractic care is essentially the same whether you’re 6 months old or sixty years old, but children will respond much faster to treatment than adults will, since they haven’t subjected their body to years of damage like we have. The kind of adjustment they need is also largely dependent on the stage of development they are in.

At what age should my child begin seeing a chiropractor?

It’s never too late or too early. However, in order to establish a trusting relationship between your child and chiropractor, it’s best to start bringing them in as soon as possible. If you really want to maximize the benefits of chiropractic care for your child, you can start by taking care of mom while baby is still in the womb!

How often should my child see a chiropractor?

There is no set formula for this because chiropractic treatment for children will vary as much as it does for adults. It’s often particularly difficult to know when your child needs to see a chiropractor because they do not generally display pain symptoms the way adults do. To help with this issue, it’s recommended that you set up a regular treatment schedule with your chiropractor, the same way you would with your dentist and pediatrician. These help catch minor issues before they turn into major problems and will allow your kids to stay healthy and happy.

However, here is a basic guideline for pediatric chiropractic visits:

• First month of life.
• Every 3 months for the first year.
• Every 6-12 months for every year thereafter.

Other times to consider bringing kids in for treatment include:

• Major growing milestones such as starting to sit up, crawling and walking.
• After they’ve experienced any physical trauma such as a fall or accident.
• If you notice any signs of imbalance such as limping and head tilting.
• If your child is involved in sports and/or gets injured while playing sports.

Chiropractic Care for Common Childhood Conditions

Chiropractic treatment has been known to aid in a lot more than just neuro-skeletal health in children. Here is a list of common childhood conditions that families have seen great improvement in from chiropractic care. While regular chiropractic treatments might not be a direct cure for these conditions, they have been proven to aid in their recovery and help improve your child’s overall health and well-being.