Most individuals are familiar with chiropractic and frequently utilize my services when they encounter pain from an injury or feel the strain from their day to day tasks. This is certainly my bread and butter but it may surprise some that a big part of my practice is also treating children. I am often asked why a child would need an adjustment and am thankful for the opportunity to educate.
A newborn baby whose birth process was difficult and who continues to cry despite having all its needs met, is often crying because he or she is experiencing discomfort – often from a spinal misalignment. Chiropractic can help. When treating infants, I delicately palpate the joints of their spine, feeling for a segment that is fixated and whose muscles are tense. The infant will also show signs that this area is tender by fussing until the joint is placed back in its proper position. For those who are cringing at the idea of adjusting a baby, rest assured that it is extremely gentle and performed using a light, fingertip touch and held pressure until the segment settles into its proper position.
There are also times where the baby isn’t crying or showing discomfort, but there is a behavior noticed by Mom or Dad which hints that there may be a dysfunction in the spine. Examples of such behavior are a baby who prefers to turn its head to one side while sleeping or nursing, develops a flat spot on one side of its head, or is having signs of constipation. These are all indications that there may be dysfunction in their spine that can be corrected with a chiropractic adjustment.
Continue reading “Chiropractic for Kids?”Children, toddlers, even newborn babies can benefit from chiropractic care as they, too experience pain from misalignments and dysfunctions in their joints.