Chiropractic for Children

CHIROPRACTIC FOR OUR KIDS

One of the most important gifts we can give to our children is the gift of good health. It is important to look after the developing bodies of our children throughout childhood, so we can give them the best start in life.  Chiropractic care from birth allows us to do just that...with a nervous system that is free from interference, our children can better cope with the bumps, falls, scrapes and tumbles of childhood! 

Checking your child's spine for problems which can impact upon the functioning of the nervous system, is a bit like checking your child's teeth for tooth decay.  And like tooth decay, spinal problems can build up over time without us being aware of them:  remember that symptoms do not always show up in the body. This is why the specialised skills of a chiropractor are necessary to detect and correct spinal misalighments and any resulting interference to nerve flow.  By improving the function of your spine and nervous system, your child's chiropractor can help to enhance the health and wellbeing of your child's whole body...the nervous system controls every cell, muscle, tissue, organ and system in your body, so we need to look after it! 

What are some signs that my child may need to get his/her spine checked?

Although suluxations can occur without symptoms, there are a number of signs that may indicate that your child's spine or nervous system may not be functioning at their optimum level.  These include: 

• tilting their head to one side or limited neck or joint movement
• headaches
• recurrent ear aches or ear infections
• intestinal/gut problems
• poor posture
• difficult sleeping
• colic and irritability in infants
• learning and attention difficultie

Are chiropractic adjustments safe for my child?

Spinal "adjustments" for infants and young children are very safe and are specially adapted for babies, infants and children, depending on their age, size and body type.  Light adjustments (using finger tip pressure or a special instrument) are usually all that is required to restore mobility to joints and remove interference to the nervous system (ie nerve flow).  Adjustments for children are low force, with minimal pressure - a bit like testing the ripeness of a tomato.  Many kids love the experience of being adjusted, and look forward to seeing their chiropractor.   

What can chiropractic help with?

Chiropractic does not cure anything - the human body does.  However, chiropractic aims to remove intereference to your child's nervous system so that it can do the job it was meant to do and allow his or her body to heal naturally.  It makes sense then, that with a healthy, functioning nervous system, children can benefit greatly from chiropractic care!  Some of the benefits of having a healthy, functioning nervous system include: 

• recovering better from common childhood illnesses such as colds, flus, colic, asthma, allergies and recurrent chest and ear infections
• improved coordination, strength and flexibility
• early detection and prevention of scoliosis
• decreased incidence of childhood illnesses (ie cold and flu) and quicker recovery
• supporting brain development and activity
• reduction in wear and tear, spinal degeration and later problems in adulthood (please refer to our 3D Spine Simulator to learn more about spinal degeneration). 

Why have regular checkups?

Checking your child's spine for problems which can impact upon the functioning of the nervous system, is a bit like checking your child's teeth for tooth decay.  And like tooth decay, spinal problems can build up over time without us knowing, as symptoms may not always show up to indicate there is a problem.  Chiropractic does not cure anything - the human body does.  However, chiropractic aims to remove intereference to your child's nervous system so that it can function to its optimum health potential. 

In summary, having your child's spine checked regularly, particularly during stages of growth and development, will help their bodies to keep functioning at their best and reduce the likelihood of problems later on in life.  Please feel free to ask one of our friendly team if you would like further information about chiropractic for kids!