Many newborns experience colic, sinus congestion, lack of appetite, frequent ear infections and other signs of poor health. They can also develop musculoskeletal conditions such as torticollis, misshapen heads as well as issues hitting developmental milestones such as rolling over, crawling, and walking just to name a few.
Parents and medical practitioners looking for a natural, drug – free approach to managing these conditions and others have sought chiropractic care for their children.
Will adjustments hurt my baby / child?
This is a very common concern among parents who mistakenly believe that their baby will be adjusted like an adult. However, adjustment techniques are heavily modified for newborns and infants.
A special low-force technique, with no more pressure than one would use to test the ripeness of a tomato, is used when working with newborns and infants creating a very gentle and comfortable experience. Most newborns have been known to sleep through the whole process!
For older children, chiropractic is a very safe and effective option with no evidence of harm. A study published by the ICPA, found that a small percentage of kids experience some discomfort during chiropractic adjustments, but otherwise there were no adverse reactions reported.
When should my baby / child be adjusted?
Many chiropractors find the importance of being adjusted soon after birth due to the amount of pressure that is put on the newborn’s spine during labor and delivery. Especially if any drugs, anesthesia, forceps or cesarean were administered.
However, many parents will wait to bring their baby to a chiropractor until they begin to see disturbances in the health of their little one such as:
- Feeding issues
- Sleep disturbances
- Colic / fussiness
- Nasal congestion
- Constipation
- Torticollis
- Misshapen skull
- Ear infections
- Reflux
- Delay in developmental milestones
With older children:
- Complaints of continual or recurring neck or back pain
- Limited head or neck mobility
- Uneven shoulders
- Compensating when they stand or walk
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Bedwetting
- Constipation
- Scoliosis
- Sports injury