Chiropractic Healing for Children
How often chiropractors have encountered parents who appreciate the importance of regular checkups for their child's teeth, hearing, eyes and ears, but draw a blank when it comes to a spinal checkup. In fact, a spinal checkup could be one of the most important checkups your child will ever have. Your child's spine is his or her lifeline because running through it is the spinal cord, containing billions of nerve fibers that send messages and energy from the brain to every part of their body.
Blockage of Nerves
If there is a blockage of any of the nerves along the spinal cord then a state of "dis-ease" will develop. "Dis-ease" (a term that chiropractors and others have long used to describe a state of disharmony in the body) will cause a generalized weakening of your child's body, lowered resistance to disease, and consequent body malfunction and sickness.
Blockage of nerves in the spinal column is usually caused by tiny fixations and misalignments of the spinal vertebrae that chiropractic calls vertebral subluxations.
The First Subluxation
How can a child's spine lose its natural alignment? Vertebral subluxations have many possible causes. Injuries to a baby's spine can be caused by a difficult delivery, a breech presentations or simply too much stress on the child's body. Difficult deliveries have also been shown to cause health problems during infancy.
Childhood
Childhood is a very "physical" time. Jumping and running, falls and accidents are all part of a normal childhood and yet they can cause spinal misalignments and nerve damage - with serious consequences. While in school, children experience great stress on their backs while carrying loaded backpacks with them between classes. This may cause spine misalignments resulting in upper and lower back pain. We recommend all parents have their children's spines checked periodically.
A Family Affair
The most gratifying thing that a doctor of chiropractic sees is the whole family coming in for spinal checkups. It's not unusual for chiropractors to hear stories from patients who say that fathers have newfound energy, mothers' headaches have subsided and the children are sick less often and severely, and rarely miss days of school.
Physical & Psychological Benefits
Correction of vertebral subluxations in children's spines reduces postural, nerve and other stresses in their bodies which will have a powerful effect on many aspects of their lives. Many parents have noticed positive changes in the physical, behavioral and emotional states of their children following regular chiropractic adjustments. Other notable improvements are neurological problems such as: asthma, anxiety, inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, discipline problems and even low grades.
Spinal Checkups Are Vital
If your child is suffering from any of these common conditions, it is essential to get his or her spine checked for vertebral subluxations; not because the doctor of chiropractic is treating your child for these conditions, but because all children, especially if they are ill, need healthy spines.
Chiropractic care is a different approach to health care; it is not a treatment for diseases or conditions. All children need chiropractic care to ensure their spines are healthy.
Warning Signs
There are certain warning signs that indicate the spinal column may be out of alignment such as: shoulder blades flared out, one hip or shoulder higher than other, foot turned in or out, neck tilt and "noisy bones."