Dr. Elise Rigney

7 Signs Your Child Needs Pediatric Chiropractic Care

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Pediatric chiropractic care is an aspect of a child’s health and development that people often overlook. As parents, understanding the signs that your child may need a pediatric chiropractor can help your child get relief quickly and set them up for a happy, healthy life.

Key Takeaways

  • Early Intervention: Pediatric chiropractic care is needed from birth through adolescence. It addresses stresses and misalignments that can impact your child’s health and development as they grow up.
  • Recognizing Signs: Key indicators like difficulty sleeping, bad posture, and behavioral changes can signify that your child needs chiropractic care.
  • Holistic Benefits: Regular chiropractic check-ups support not just spinal health but also your child’s overall well-being. It can help with issues like colic, constipation, and breastfeeding challenges.

What Is the Right Age for Pediatric Chiropractic Care?

a child receiving pediatric chiropractor care

Pediatric chiropractic care is beneficial at all stages of a child’s growth, from infancy through adolescence. The birthing process itself (natural or cesarean) can create the first stresses on a newborn’s spine and nervous system. Early chiropractic evaluations and adjustments help find and resolve any initial misalignments, setting a foundation for healthy development.

As your kids grow and reach developmental milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking, they encounter different physical challenges. Regular chiropractic check-ups during these key growth phases can ensure proper spinal alignment and prevent misalignment issues.

Physical stresses continue in toddlers and school-aged children due to activities like playing sports or even carrying backpacks. It is common for such activities to cause spinal misalignments (subluxations). A chiropractor can correct these problems and teach you and your kids how to prevent future issues, such as poor posture, which we all know is a problem a lot of people face these days.

Adolescence brings rapid growth and hormonal changes that place additional stress on the spine. Many teenagers engage in more physical sports as well, which has an even greater impact on their health. Chiropractic care is important during this period so your child can maintain proper spinal growth and balance. 

Overall, there really is no specific “right” age to start pediatric chiropractic care. Its benefits are valuable throughout your child’s developmental years.

How Can I Tell If My Child Needs Chiropractic Care?

pediatric chiropractic care in fort Collins Colorado

Children may not always communicate their discomfort or even understand it. Recognizing certain signs can guide you in deciding when to seek chiropractic care. We will talk about 7 common signs we often see at Impact Chiropractic.

1. Birth Trauma

The birthing process, whether natural or cesarean, can introduce unexpected stress on a newborn’s spine and nervous system. The stress may result from factors like prolonged labor, the baby’s position during birth, or the use of forceps or suction.

Indicators of birth trauma can include an uneven head shape, persistent crying, or discomfort while lying down. These signs may suggest misalignments known as subluxations that can impact the baby’s comfort and development.

If any of these signs appear in your baby, talk to a pediatric chiropractor. They can gently assess and correct these misalignments early on to make sure the baby’s nervous system functions optimally.

2. Difficulty Sleeping

Irregular sleep patterns or difficulty sleeping in children is often a sign of physical discomfort. Spinal misalignments can create subtle but continuous discomfort, disrupting a child’s ability to achieve restful sleep.

This discomfort can come from everyday activities, minor falls, or the way your child sits or plays. Pediatric chiropractic care can relieve this tension through gentle spinal adjustments. Your child’s nervous system will function more effectively, their sleep quality will improve, and they will wake up refreshed after resting comfortably.

3. Bad Posture

Children’s spines can become misaligned due to various activities such as carrying heavy backpacks, prolonged sitting, or participating in other strenuous physical activities. Noticeable postural issues (e.g., uneven shoulders, a tilted head, a pronounced slouch) might indicate misalignments.

These issues can lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, or other health issues as your children grow. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help correct these postural imbalances and promote better alignment of the spine. This not only improves posture but also supports overall spinal health and functionality and better prevent future problems.

4. Behavioral Problems

Surprisingly, behavioral issues in children can sometimes be linked to physical discomfort or neurological imbalances. These behaviors include hyperactivity, attention deficits, or mood swings. Misalignments in the spine can affect the nervous system, which potentially leads to such behavioral changes.

Pediatric chiropractic care focuses on correcting spinal issues. It can have a calming effect on the nervous system. This holistic approach can lead to more balanced behavior, improved attention, and better emotional regulation in children.

5. Colic

Colic, characterized by prolonged periods of inconsolable crying in babies, can be distressing and exhausting for parents. While the exact cause of colic is often unknown, many people believe that gastrointestinal discomfort or neurological irritation may contribute to it.

Chiropractic care can be particularly effective in managing colic symptoms. By gently adjusting the baby’s spine, chiropractors can improve digestive processes that often result in decreased symptoms of colic, such as less frequent and less intense crying episodes. Hallelujah!

6. Constipation

Believe it or not, constipation in children is sometimes a result of nerve interference due to spinal misalignments that affect the body’s digestive system. Regular bowel movements are crucial for a child’s health, and chiropractic adjustments can play a significant role in providing a well-functioning digestive system.

By restoring proper spinal alignment, chiropractic care can remove nerve interference to improve your child’s ability to process and eliminate waste. This natural, drug-free approach can be particularly beneficial for children who experience chronic constipation.

7. Difficulty Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding challenges, such as a baby’s inability to latch properly or discomfort while nursing, can sometimes be attributed to discomfort in the baby’s neck or spine. Misalignments from the birthing process occasionally make it difficult for the baby to turn its head in certain directions. Naturally, it has an impact on breastfeeding.

Pediatric chiropractors are skilled in performing adjustments to the baby’s spine and cranial bones, which alleviates this discomfort. This can lead to a more successful breastfeeding experience. A comfortable baby can latch and feed more effectively. Again, hallelujah!

Conclusion

Pediatric chiropractic care offers a range of benefits, from improving sleep to aiding in digestive health and posture correction. It’s a safe, gentle, and effective way to support your child’s health and development.

If you notice any of the signs we mentioned, consider scheduling a consultation with a pediatric chiropractor. We are always happy to help!

The Ultimate Pregnancy Chiropractor Guide

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Pregnancy is a remarkable journey, marked by profound changes in a woman’s body and life. During this time, many expectant mothers in Colorado want to find ways to have a comfortable pregnancy and a smoother birth process.

A pregnancy chiropractor can help! They provide gentle care to pregnant women to help alleviate discomfort, balance the pelvis, and prepare the body for labor. 

Key Takeaways

  • Specialization: A pregnancy chiropractor offers specialized care for expecting mothers. They focus on spinal alignment, pelvic balance, and overall comfort to address the unique physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy.
  • Safety and Effectiveness: Chiropractic care is safe and effective during pregnancy. The physicians employ gentle, adapted methods and specialized training to cater to your needs and enhance both your health and the health of your unborn baby.
  • Comprehensive Benefits: Chiropractic care also provides numerous benefits during pregnancy, including relief from back pain, improved pelvic balance, nausea reduction, and posture support. All these factors contribute to a smoother birth process and postnatal recovery.

What Is a Pregnancy Chiropractor?

pregnancy chiropractor

A pregnancy chiropractor is a specialist who provides chiropractic care that they tailor to the needs of pregnant women. This care focuses on maintaining spinal alignment, pelvic balance, and overall comfort during pregnancy. Pregnancy chiropractors understand the physical and hormonal changes that occur in women’s bodies during this time. They offer safe, effective adjustments to manage common pregnancy-related discomforts like back pain, pelvic pain, and sciatica.

Using gentle techniques, such as the Webster Technique, they work to improve pelvic balance and facilitate better fetal positioning and a smoother labor and delivery process. Pregnancy chiropractors are skilled in adapting their treatments throughout each trimester. They can create a personalized care plan to support your own body’s adaptations to pregnancy.

Their expertise in handling the unique aspects of pregnancy helps enhance maternal comfort and reduce stress. Their gentle methods promote a healthier and more positive pregnancy experience.

Why Chiropractic Care Is Safe During Pregnancy

When it comes to prenatal care, safety is typically the main concern for expectant mothers. You don’t want to do anything that might harm you or your baby. Here’s why chiropractic care is considered safe during pregnancy:

Expertise in Prenatal Care:

Chiropractors who specialize in prenatal care receive additional training beyond their standard chiropractic education. This training focuses on the specific needs and physiological changes in pregnant women so they are well-equipped to provide safe and effective care.

Gentle and Adapted Methods:

Prenatal chiropractors utilize techniques that are gentle and adapted to the unique requirements of a pregnant woman’s body. These methods avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. They also use specialized tables that adjust for a pregnant woman’s body to maximize comfort and safety.

Research Backed Safety:

Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe. The studies indicate that chiropractic care can effectively reduce pregnancy-related discomfort without adverse effects on the mother or the baby.

Nervous System Support:

Chiropractic adjustments aim to improve the function of the nervous system, which is integral to the overall health of both you and your developing baby. A well-functioning nervous system contributes to better health outcomes for both of you.

When Should You Start Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy?

pregnancy chiropractor colorado

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is a decision that can be made at any stage. However, many health professionals advocate for beginning chiropractic care early on in the pregnancy. There are two reasons behind this recommendation for an early start: to address pre-existing conditions and provide preventive care.

Early Intervention for Pre-existing Conditions: Many women enter pregnancy with pre-existing imbalances or misalignments in their spine or pelvis. These issues can be intensified by the physical changes of pregnancy and lead to increased discomfort. Starting chiropractic care early in your pregnancy allows the chiropractor to assess and address these imbalances. This proactive approach can prevent pre-existing conditions from becoming more problematic as your pregnancy progresses.

Preventive Care and Adaptation to Bodily Changes: As your pregnancy progresses, your body undergoes significant changes, including weight gain (no surprise there), altered posture, and a shift in the center of gravity. These changes put additional strain on the spine and pelvis. Early chiropractic care sets a foundation for the body to adapt to these changes more efficiently. Regular adjustments and alignment checks help accommodate the growing fetus while maintaining your comfort and mobility.

Building a Comfortable Environment for the Baby: Another reason to start chiropractic care early is related to the developing fetus. Proper spinal alignment and pelvic balance are essential for creating an optimal environment for the baby’s growth and development. Early chiropractic care can make sure your uterus has enough space and is properly aligned, which will contribute to a safer and easier birth process for both of you.

Regular Monitoring and Tailored Adjustments: By beginning care early, the chiropractor can regularly monitor your progress throughout the pregnancy. Regular monitoring allows for tailored adjustments that meet the changing needs of your body. As the pregnancy continues, the chiropractor can modify techniques to accommodate your growing belly and the changes in your center of gravity.

How Does Chiropractic Care Help During Pregnancy?

pregnancy doctor in fort collins

Chiropractic adjustments decrease strain on the spine caused by the increased weight and altered posture that your pregnancy causes. This helps you maintain a better alignment of the spine and pelvis and reduces discomfort.

The Impact on Labor and Birth Process

In pregnant patients, chiropractic adjustments are not just about alleviating current discomfort. They play a significant role in preparing your body for the birthing process. A well-aligned spine and pelvis can lead to more effective contractions, potentially reducing labor time. And with the baby in the proper position, it minimizes the likelihood of complications during birth.

Postnatal Care and Long-Term Benefits

The benefits of chiropractic care extend beyond pregnancy. Postnatal care is equally important as your body recovers from the stress of childbirth. Continued chiropractic adjustments help restore pelvic balance, contribute to quicker recovery, and ensure your body is well-aligned to take on the demands of motherhood.

Additional Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

  • Relief from Back Pain: Pregnancy often brings lower back pain as your body adjusts to carrying the baby. Chiropractic care alleviates this pain by realigning the spine and reducing pressure on nerves and ligaments.
  • Nausea Reduction: Many pregnant patients report reduced nausea after receiving chiropractic adjustments.
  • Improved Pelvic Balance: Maintaining proper pelvic balance is vital for a comfortable pregnancy. It also decreases the chances of birth trauma. Chiropractic adjustments help maintain this balance.
  • Posture Support: As your body changes to accommodate your growing baby, it greatly impacts your posture. Chiropractic care helps support and correct your posture during pregnancy.
  • Better Sleep: With reduced pain and discomfort, many women find that chiropractic care contributes to better sleep during pregnancy.

Addressing Common Misconceptions and Concerns

A pregnant woman dealing with restless legs.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is a topic that often raises questions and concerns. Let’s address some common misconceptions and worries that expectant mothers may have about this specialized form of care.

Safety Concerns

Misconception: Many expectant mothers worry that chiropractic adjustments may harm the baby or pose risks during pregnancy.

Reality: When administered by a qualified and experienced prenatal chiropractor, chiropractic care is considered safe during pregnancy. These practitioners undergo specialized training to ensure the mother’s and the baby’s safety and well-being. Consult your obstetrician if you have any concerns about receiving chiropractic care.

Adjustments Causing Pain

Misconception: Some women fear that chiropractic adjustments will be painful or uncomfortable while they are pregnant.

Reality: Prenatal chiropractors use gentle and modified techniques and specialized tables to accommodate the pregnant body. Adjustments are typically painless and can relieve common pregnancy discomforts like back pain, sciatica, and pelvic discomfort.

Risk of Miscarriage

Misconception: There is a misconception that chiropractic care can trigger miscarriages in pregnant women.

Reality: No scientific evidence supports the idea that chiropractic adjustments cause miscarriages. When administered by a qualified professional, chiropractic care promotes a healthier and more comfortable pregnancy.

Limited Effectiveness

Misconception: Some people believe that chiropractic care offers limited benefits during pregnancy.

Reality: Prenatal chiropractic care can provide many benefits, including improved spinal and pelvic alignment, reduced pain and discomfort, enhanced mobility, and better overall well-being. It can also prepare the body for labor and delivery, potentially leading to a smoother birthing experience.

Conclusion

For pregnant women in Colorado Springs seeking a comfortable pregnancy and a smoother birth process, a pregnancy chiropractor is a valuable resource. Through specialized techniques like the Webster Technique, chiropractors at Impact Chiropractic provide gentle care focused on pelvic balance, which benefits both mother and baby. The holistic approach of chiropractic care supports your physical well-being as well as your emotional and mental health.