Children

How can parents know if a child needs Chiropractic?

Unless a child has an obvious symptom, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has spinal subluxations. There are some signs however, which parents may look for, which can be an indicator of a child with a spinal problem.

Common signs of spinal problems may include:

• the baby's head consistently being tilted to one side

• restricted head or neck motion to one side

Can my child's pediatrician find these problems?

This is a reasonable question to ask, since he community at large has for many years considered the medical profession to have solutions to all health concerns. Unfortunately, when it comes to subtle spinal problems, your child's pediatrician is not a trained specialist. Medical pediatricians generally are not trained to identify spinal problems- which can cause ill health in children, and therefore may miss true of your child's problem.

When should I take my child to a Doctor of Chiropractic?

When you want your child to have all the benefits of a conservative, drugless approach to healthcare. Your child's first visit to the Doctor of Chiropractic can be a pleasant experience, one without painful injections and procedures, but with plenty of nurturing. A Doctor of Chiropractic should examine your child during that all important first year of life when spinal trauma can occur during birth as wall as from tumbles while learning to sit up or walk. Improper lifting and carrying of your child can also contribute to spinal stress. Your child's spine grows almost 50% in length during that first year. It's this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of your child's life.

When you want to give your child a head start in good health. Doctors of Chiropractic believe it's much more important to prevent disease than wait till some unless occurs. Through regular adjustments, counseling on proper diet, exercise and posture, the Doctor of Chiropractic can help you raise a child whose body is structurally and functionally sound. Your child will also learn good health habits at an early age which can be very beneficial to him or her as an adult.

When your child takes a fall, underlying injuries could go undetected -- such as misaligned vertebra during the spines most formative period. Regular spinal exams by he Doctor of Chiropractic can provide corrective and preventative care for your son or daughter and peace of mind for you.

When your child takes part in athletic activities. The "sack" of a young quarterback could twist a young spine. A softball pitcher could throw a vertebra out of alignment. Doctors of Chiropractic can do more than correct these problems, they can also help improve performance on and off the field by helping the body function at its optimal level, naturally without stress and without drugs.

How safe is chiropractic for my child?

Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of health care. A baby's spine is very supple during the first few months of life and the Doctor of Chiropractic applies only slight pressure to make spinal adjustments.

Under normal circumstances, chiropractic adjustments are painless and will not hurt your child, Chiropractors do not use drugs which sometimes cause more harmful side effects than progression of the disease itself. Drugs can also create the potential for addiction, even in young children. The Doctor of Chiropractic does not perform any invasive procedures ( such as surgery) which sometimes can have irreversible side effects. These are some of the reasons why malpractice insurance rates for chiropractors are only a fraction of what physicians pay and why more than 30 million Americans choose chiropractic care for their children and themselves.

How effective is chiropractic care for children?

Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care for children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies conducted by researchers in Germany, Australia, Denmark and the United States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic for a variety of childhood illnesses. This body of scientific evidence is growing every day.