I get asked this question quite regularly and figured a resource discussing pediatric chiropractic would be very beneficial. So you may ask why does a baby need chiropractic care. Let’s just take a minute to think about what a baby goes through to be brought into this world. The process of labor while natural, is typically far from natural in the medical paradigm. Many births include interventions which include cesarian sections, vacuum extraction and rarely forceps extraction.
Even without these specific interventions, a practitioner rarely lets baby enter this world without being maneuvered out of the vaginal canal. All of these things affect baby in a way that cannot be seen. These interventions all place stress on baby’s spine by being maneuvered through/out of the birth canal and vagina or out of the abdomen. These stresses can most definitely cause vertebral subluxations. As the child grows, subluxation progressively interferes with proper body function limiting their ability to express optimum health. Before weight bearing the child’s spine is most adaptable to correction.
I also get asked if chiropractic treats certain conditions such as ear infections, colic, reflux, and bed wetting. My answer to this is simple. We do not actually treat these conditions but what we do is allow the body and nervous system to function optimally by correcting subluxations and in turn their bodies are able to function better and parents will notice a decrease in symptoms.
Another common misconception about pediatric chiropractic is how the adjustment is performed. People who have never seen a baby or infant adjusted assume they are adjusted the same way as an adult but that could not be more wrong. I’ve heard of doctors saying that their spine is the same as an adult just smaller and that is also incorrect.
I tell parents that the amount of force that is used to adjust a baby is the same amount of pressure to check the ripeness of a tomato or the amount of pressure that can be comfortably placed on your eyelid. Because they do not have the musculature to get through to do the adjustment and their spines are so small and growing it is a very gentle thing. This is also why they respond so quickly to the adjustment and will tend to hold an adjustment longer than an adult.
One last thought to consider is not every chiropractor is a pediatric chiropractor either. It does take extra training to be able to adjust a child in the correct manner. Please send me any comments that you may have and I will answer them the best I can.
In good health,
