Pediatric Chiropractic

Give Your Kids the Chiropractic Care They Need

“You adjust kids!!” is a common surprise response when people find out that we care for the entire family. We always respond with, “of course we see kids! We do chiropractic based on functionality.” Then it starts to make sense. The thing is, so many people are so focused on only seeing a chiropractor for back or neck pain. Chiropractic is so much more than pain management. It is a way to help you heal and function at your best through a natural method of health care (chiropractic) that does not include drugs or surgery.  What’s more, is that results of chiropractic care are more significant for pediatric patients, newborns up to 18 years of age, when rapid growth and development occurs. Here are a few reasons why parents bring their kids to our office.

Aids Recovery After Birth

Right after birth, babies can be given chiropractic treatment. In fact, Dr. Epps was adjusted by her father, a chiropractor, within five minutes of birth. As we may know, the birthing process can be traumatic for those little ones, which may affect the nerves in the body. Gentle adjustments to align the spine to ensure that there will be no nerve dysfunction in your baby’s body can help ease tension and strain that may arise after a C-section or natural birth. But no worries about safety, the pediatric techniques are completely different than adult techniques because children have completely different needs. The pressure used for a pediatric adjustment is the same as putting pressure on your eyelid or testing the ripeness of a tomato.

Helps in Breastfeeding

Latching and breastfeeding struggles are often reported. In addition to seeking a lactation consultant, it is important to have a pediatric chiropractor check the upper cervical of the nursing baby. Misalignments in the upper spine of the baby often lead to them  struggling with turning their head in all directions or being comfortable with latching fully.  Aligning the baby’s spine, neck, and shoulders can make the feeding process more comfortable and help eliminate some of the stress that goes with it. This is a very common reason many of our littles begin care with us at DHCC. We see great results in the little ones with gentle chiropractic adjustments.

Helps Ease Colic

Chiropractic has been effective in treating chronic cases of colic among infants. Fussing and crying are normal for infants but a baby in colic pain gives an intense and discomforting cry that should be taken seriously. Your baby gets irritable due to various factors such as impaired sucking or incorrect latching, food allergens in breast milk, acid reflux, and slight tension in the spine. Fussiness could be the result of mechanical restrictions in the baby’s spine which leads to muscle spasms, irritability, and crying. 

Colic in babies is linked to an immature gastrointestinal system leading to indigestion and gas build-up. An immature digestive system cannot cope with the gas buildup resulting in the gas being trapped in the gut to cause bloating and pain. Your baby will pull his knees up and strain to move the gas but with little success. Chiropractic adjustments for infants are gentle, conservative, and specific manipulations to stimulate nerve flow to the small intestines and increase peristalsis, the wave-like motion of muscles in the gut that pushes liquid and gas through. This will help restore normal nervous system function, so the body can heal itself.

Treats Earache and Sinus Congestion

Similarly, earache and sinus congestion in children can be treated with chiropractic. The eustachian tube drains the middle ear from excess fluids but there are instances that it is blocked due to allergies, colds, or sinus infection. Oftentimes, parents are told ear tubes are their only answer for the littles with chronic ear infections. There are natural options. Chiropractic care has had great results with easing ear infections and decreasing the frequency and pain of the infection. Chiropractic care, gentle adjustments of the vertebrae of the upper neck helps to dilate the Eustachian tube to ease the blockage.  Many littles under chiropractic care end up NOT needing surgery after they visit a chiropractic.  

Aids in Sleeping

For some children, training them for good sleeping habits is enough to get them to sleep better. Unfortunately, this does not work for all. A little with a nervous system not in balance may struggle with not getting good sleep. Many patients, adults and kiddos, report better and deeper sleep after chiropractic adjustments. As chiropractors, those patients often have a misalignment in their top two bones of the spine. If your child has a misaligned vertebrae that is causing discomfort to the nervous system, it disrupts their sleeping patterns. Chiropractic care is the most logical solution.

Minimizes Risks of Injury

It is the nature of kids to sustain bumps and bruises due to their energetic body movements. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard to detect if your kid is experiencing a micro-trauma. This is usually the result of a tripping or falling or some other minor accident. Over time, these micro-traumas lead to subluxations, which signal the chances of more serious health issues. Before these get into serious condition, it is highly recommended to visit your chiropractor.  In treating these subluxations or misalignments, chiropractors are experts in locating these in your kid’s body and correcting them.

Enhances the Immune System

Our body’s immune system relies on a healthy spine, apart from proper nutrition. The immune system is made up of lymph nodes and the spleen, both emit signals to the brain through the nerves that run through the spine. The nervous system runs through the spine and any misalignment can cause nerve pathways to become irritated and eventually affect other functions of the body.

We do not claim to treat a lack of immunity at DHCC. What we do have patients report, is that with regular adjustments, their body begins functioning better. And with a better functioning body, they get sick less often.

Helps with ADHD/ADD

Studies have revealed that children with ADHD/ADD exhibit favorable changes with chiropractic treatment. Indeed, chiropractic treatment is comparable to medications, but without the negative side effects.  The child’s hyperactivity is substantially improved after the chiropractic regimen. This is done by helping the child’s nervous system balance. Often patients with ADHD struggle with being in the sympathetic overdrive. By balancing the body, the response is often balanced as well.

Promotes Overall Wellness for Growth and Development

Since chiropractic adjustments focus on the musculoskeletal system of the body, children with properly aligned spine and neck tend to have a better posture and clear neural pathways.  This boosts a sound nervous system that contributes to the kids’ overall health. The chiropractic’s holistic approach gives the foundation for regular exercise, good appetite and eating habits, and overall wellness among the kids.

Final Thoughts: Chiropractic care do wonders for your babies and growing kids. We see the results every day in our office.  Overall, it gives a positive impact on the family as a whole. Parental duties for growing kids is challenging and stressful, but having a child with health issues is even more stressful. 

You can relieve yourself from these stresses by bringing your children to Dover Health Care Center. They will surely be safe and comfortable under chiropractic care.

Reach out for a free consultation to see if we are the best fit for you and your family.