Why does a baby or child need Chiropractic?
The simple answer comes from drawing a connection between being proactive verses reactive.
Parents do so many things to ensure the health of their baby, during pregnancy and after the baby arrives. It can be a bit overwhelming! You want only the best for your child, in terms of health and safety.
So how do you know if your baby’s spine is healthy? Have you had your his or her’s spine checked? 
An unhealthy spine can affect your child’s health for his/her entire life. A simple spinal checkup by a Chiropractic Doctor now can make a big difference to your child’s health now and in the future. A Chiropractor is specially trained to check your baby’s spine for areas of distortion or spinal misalignment, called a subluxation.
The First Subluxation
The body undergoes physical trauma beginning with spinal distress that takes place during a baby’s development in the womb and continues through the birth process. Research shows that many newborns suffer micro-trauma during the birth process that slightly alters the position and movement of the bones in the spine, specifically the upper neck region.
The seemingly “insignificant” birth process or any complications can lead to a subtle misalignment in the spine. These subluxations induce stress in the central nervous system. Left undetected and uncorrected, stress in the central nerve system contributes to many unwanted symptoms suffered by infants and children today. Chiropractic pursues the prevention of disease rather than a reactive decision to use drugs or surgery to treat health conditions for babies and individuals of ALL ages.
What can Chiropractic Help With?
Many research studies support chiropractic care for infants and children. Authors noted that unhealthy spines and subluxations were found with the following symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to help with all of these:
- Sleeplessness
- Colic
- Hyperactivity
- Vomiting
- Ear, nose and throat infections
- Higher susceptibility to sickness
- Difficulty breast feeding
- Torticollis (twisted neck)
- Allergies
- Unbalanced face or skull development
Shaken Baby Syndrome
Babies are very top heavy; their head weighs the most in proportion to their body, but their neck muscles are underdeveloped and weak as they are still growing. Mild to moderate shaking of a child can result in serious neurological damage. This damage is called Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Damage can occur without intention, as in during play, like throwing the baby in the air and catching them. In addition to be shaken or thrown, spanking can also cause spinal or neurological damage. Any child who has been subjected to rough behavior or play desperately needs a chiropractic check up to prevent possible nerve damage.
When to Check?
According to the Chiropractic Pediatric Specialist Larry Webster D.C. (who invented the Webster Technique used for pregnant women) there are SIX times in a baby’s first year of life when spinal exams are especially important:
- After the birth process
- Baby starts to hold his/her head up
- Baby sits up
- Baby starts to crawl
- Baby starts to stand
- Baby starts to walk
Our children deserve the best health outcomes possible, treated naturally when problems do arise and not when dangerous drugs or surgeries. All infants whether sick or well, need to have a healthy spine.
They cannot communicate verbally when they have pain or just as many adults, don’t even know they have a spinal misalignment. It is up to us adults and parents to actively give our children the opportunity for a healthy life.
Chiropractic unlocks the potential within every child. Chiropractic offices believe that families who get adjusted together grow stronger and healthier together!
Here to Help
We recommend all babies be checked for subluxations. Dr. Senz is a certified pediatric chiropractic physician through ICPA and specifically trained to work with infants and children. She has helped many families over the years, and would love to help yours!
Contact our office at 440-639-1100 to schedule your family’s complimentary consultation.
For more information on pediatric chiropractic, visit: https://icpa4kids.com/