There is a lot of misreported information on the internet that says chiropractic care is unsafe for children. However, these articles and alarmists are off base with their judgments. Chiropractic care is in fact safe for all ages — including infants. Chiropractic adjustments in younger children are primarily focused on providing preventative care, attempting to keep the spine and central nervous system healthy through important developmental years.
When spine-related issues become apparent and go untreated, their impact continues to worsen by affecting other bodily functions and processes. The bad wrap attached to chiropractic care comes from improperly trained chiropractors working on patient populations they are unfamiliar with, such as children and infants. While children have the same physical structure as adults, their joints and bones are more fragile. This “cartilaginous” state requires chiropractic care to take a softer approach with younger patients. Adjustment contacts must be smaller, with thrusts being more shallow and including less force.
Chiropractic care offers many health benefits for newborns all the way up through adulthood. Therefore, it is important for parents to fully vet chiropractors to ensure they are trained to treat children. Currently, chiropractic care is growing in popularity for younger children — according to the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 17 percent of patients are under the age of 18.
What Benefits Does Child Chiropractic Care Provide?
As mentioned, chiropractic care seeks to prevent future health problems from occurring. The spine plays a critical role in the overall function of the body, and is responsible in three major roles:
- Protecting the spinal cord and related nerve roots
- Providing structural support and balance
- Allowing flexible motion
Ensuring the spine is able to properly carry out daily functions without error sets children up to progress through important growth stages without back pain or other health-related complications. Parents that have taken their children for chiropractic adjustments have reported improvements in the areas of:
- Sleep
- Immune function
- Behavior/attitude
At its core, chiropractic care properly aligns the spine and corresponding joints, in an effort to allow the central nervous system to process and react to information in a healthy manner.
Other benefits for children include:
- Improved neural pathway function
- Injury recovery
- Better mobility
- Proper posture
- Decrease back/neck pain
- Headache relief
Signs Your Child Might Need Chiropractic Care
At the end of the day, the decision to use chiropractic care as a preventative or treatment method is up to parents. However, as a safe and efficacious healthcare option, chiropractic care provides a natural and drug-free alternative to traditional medical treatment. Additionally, chiropractic care looks to solve the root cause of health concerns, versus attempting to treat a list of associated symptoms.
Signs that might indicate your child could benefit from a chiropractic adjustment include:
- Complaints of neck/back pain
- Limited head/neck mobility
- Uneven shoulders
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Compensation when walking/running
For infants, chiropractic care has been able to help improve issues like:
- Breastfeeding
- Reflux
- Colic
- Crawling/standing
In older children, it can help with specific problems relating to:
- Headaches
- Scoliosis
- Spinal alignment
- Growing pains
- Digestive issues
Child Chiropractic Care in Denver, CO
Upon entering our clinic, Dr. Reinhardt will conduct a full exam of your child’s situation and overall health to determine any clear issues with their spinal alignment. With years of expert experience, Dr. Reinhardt and his team can help alleviate pain and misalignment that may be affecting your child. Schedule an appointment today!
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