PEDIATRIC CHIROPRACTOR

What Does A Pediatric Chiropractor Do?

by

Are you aware of the benefits that pediatric chiropractic care can provide for your child? From improved posture to enhanced nervous system development, pediatric chiropractic care can play a big role in improving your child’s overall health and well-being.

We will go over the essential aspects of pediatric chiropractic care, such as nervous system development and spinal alignment, as well as common childhood issues treated by pediatric chiropractors.

Key Takeaways

  • Pediatric chiropractic care provides comprehensive benefits for children’s health and development.
  • It can help to reduce pain, enhance mobility, improve posture & body mechanics, and provide relief from symptoms.
  • When choosing a pediatric chiropractor it is important to ask the right questions and find a practice that meets your needs in order to ensure optimal care for your child.

The Importance of Pediatric Chiropractic Care

As early as the birthing process, children may experience postural tension and biomechanical stress, which can be effectively addressed through chiropractic adjustments.

The sooner a child receives chiropractic treatment, the easier it is to address any issues with minimal adjustments to the spine, ensuring good health and proper development.

a child receiving pediatric chiropractor care

Good sleep is vital for children’s health, contributing to improved attention, behavior, learning abilities, and overall physical and mental well-being.

Pediatric chiropractic care can help improve sleep quality by alleviating the discomfort caused by misaligned spines during the night. By focusing on both nervous system development and spinal health, pediatric chiropractic care offers a comprehensive approach to maintaining your child’s well-being.

Nervous System Development

Chiropractic care for children plays a significant role in supporting the development of a healthy nervous system. By reducing disruptions caused by birth trauma and injuries, pediatric chiropractic care facilitates the proper development of the nervous system and helps correct poor posture in children.

A well-functioning nervous system, including the spinal cord, is fundamental to your child’s health, and pediatric chiropractic care can enhance this by reducing inflammation and disruptions in neurologic pathways.

Spinal Health and Alignment

Maintaining spinal health and alignment is key to fostering ideal growth and development in children, improving their overall health. Pediatric chiropractic care can provide beneficial effects on spinal alignment by administering gentle adjustments to the spine, which can help rectify misalignments and enhance posture.

The advantages of pediatric chiropractic care for spinal alignment include improved posture and body mechanics, alleviation of symptoms, and boosted overall well-being.

Common Childhood Issues Treated by Pediatric Chiropractors

Pediatric chiropractors are equipped to address a variety of childhood issues, utilizing gentle techniques for infants and alternative therapies for chronic pain. Such issues may include:

  • Colic
  • Developmental and behavioral problems
  • Digestive issues
  • Pain relief
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Consulting with a qualified pediatric chiropractor can provide a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for your child.

Alternative Therapies for Chronic Pain

For children experiencing chronic pain, pediatric chiropractors offer alternative therapies that can provide relief without the need for medication. These therapies may include:

  • Chiropractic care
  • Massage
  • Acupuncture
  • Physical therapy

Pediatric chiropractic care has been shown to be effective in reducing pain, enhancing mobility, and improving overall well-being in children with chronic pain.

Chiropractic care can also address a range of other issues, such as headaches, ear infections, colic, asthma, and scoliosis, as well as musculoskeletal issues like back pain, neck pain, and joint pain.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Children

a child receiving pediatric chiropractor care

Research has shown that chiropractic care can provide health benefits for children:

  • Tackling both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal problems
  • Facilitating better posture and body mechanics
  • Supporting the immune system and digestive health
  • Enhancing overall health and well-being

Chiropractic care for children also leads to:

  • Improvement in sleep
  • Improvement in balance and coordination
  • Reduction in stress
  • Enhancement in sleep quality

By providing relief from symptoms and improving overall wellness, chiropractic care can significantly improve children’s quality of life and set them up for a healthy future.

Improved Posture and Body Mechanics

a child receiving pediatric chiropractor care

Regular chiropractic sessions are pivotal in helping children maintain correct posture and body mechanics, preventing future discomfort and pain.

Adopting improved posture and body mechanics can bring benefits to your child, such as:

  • Decreased stress on joints
  • Increased circulation
  • Reduced pain
  • Increased energy levels
  • Improved self-esteem

By making sure proper alignment and preventing future issues, pediatric chiropractic care helps children lead healthier, more comfortable lives.

Relief from Symptoms and Enhanced Wellness

Chiropractic care can provide relief for a range of symptoms in children, including:

  • Headaches
  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Joint pain

Chiropractic care can also improve children’s non-musculoskeletal issues, such as colic and asthma.

Choosing the Right Pediatric Chiropractor

Choosing the right pediatric chiropractor for your child is significant to guarantee that they receive the optimal care. To make an informed decision, it’s a good idea to ask the right questions and find a practice that meets your needs.

Questions to Ask Potential Chiropractors

When choosing a pediatric chiropractor, it’s important to inquire about their experience, techniques, and their method of treating children.

Some important questions to ask potential chiropractors include:

  1. What are your qualifications and experience in pediatric chiropractic care?
  2. What techniques do you use to adjust children?
  3. What are the benefits of pediatric chiropractic care?
  4. Is chiropractic care safe for children?

Asking these questions will help you gain a better understanding of the chiropractor’s expertise, techniques, and the advantages of pediatric chiropractic care.

Conclusion

In summary, pediatric chiropractic care is vital for children’s overall health and well-being, addressing prevalent issues and fostering ideal growth and development. By focusing on nervous system development and spinal health, pediatric chiropractic care offers a comprehensive approach to improving your child’s well-being.

By choosing the right pediatric chiropractor and understanding the importance of pediatric chiropractic care, you can help your child lead a healthy, comfortable, and happy life.

What Is Kid Chiropractic Care?

by

Pediatric chiropractic care, including kid chiropractic, is transforming lives by addressing the unique needs of children and promoting their overall health. Discover how this gentle therapy can support your child’s development and well-being, from infancy to adolescence.

Key Takeaways

  • Kid chiropractic care is a gentle, non-invasive alternative therapy that can benefit children’s overall health and development.
  • Pediatric chiropractors prioritize safety and comfort for young patients by employing tailored techniques in pleasant atmospheres.
  • Kid chiropractic has been proven to have life-changing impacts on physical, mental, and emotional conditions of children such as ear infections, asthma, and ADHD.

Understanding Kid Chiropractic: What It Is and How It Works

Kid chiropractic care is a unique practice that caters to the specific needs of children. This gentle and non-invasive therapy aims to address underlying issues before they become hardwired during development, allowing for a comfortable and successful childhood.

Chiropractic care is available for individuals of all ages, including children, and offers various health benefits. Through spinal adjustments and other natural methods, chiropractors stimulate the body’s natural healing capacity via the nervous system, fostering a wholesome lifestyle.

Dr. Lara a pediatric chiropractor working with an infant.

Pediatric chiropractic care has been known to enhance infants’ sleep patterns, alleviate colic symptoms, bolster immunity, soothe irritability, facilitate digestion, stimulate healthy brain development, and guarantee healthy structural development during treatment sessions.

Pediatric Chiropractic Techniques

Pediatric chiropractic techniques are modified according to the child’s age and size, ensuring safe and effective adjustments. By tailoring the techniques, we ensure the safety and efficacy of the adjustments. These gentle techniques can help infants by:

  • Realigning the body post-birth
  • Promoting healthy structural growth
  • Diminishing typical infant issues such as colic, irritability, nursing/latching on difficulties, and digestive issues.

Chiropractic care for children who have experienced tumbles or birth trauma can help address any subluxations that may have occurred as a result of these incidents, maintaining spinal alignment for optimal health. These adjustments aim to prevent any long-term consequences associated with misaligned spines and to ensure the child’s comfort and well-being.

The Importance of Proper Nervous System Function in Children

Children’s growth and development heavily rely on the efficient functioning of their nervous system. Proper nervous system function ensures that the child’s body is functioning optimally, allowing them to reach their full potential in terms of physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Chiropractic care may improve nervous system function in children by addressing spinal misalignments. By mitigating interruptions in the nervous system, pediatric chiropractic treatment enables its proper development, allowing the child to thrive.

If left untreated, spinal misalignments can lead to physical, mental, and neurological issues that may not manifest until later in life. Addressing spinal misalignments in children is vital to prevent possible complications and foster overall health and well-being.

Common Childhood Conditions Treated with Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care has been shown to improve nervous system function, providing a treatment option for several childhood conditions. Some of the conditions that can be improved for children through chiropractic care include:

  • Ear infections
  • Asthma
  • Colic
  • Enuresis
  • Scoliosis
  • Allergies
  • Bedwetting
  • Autism spectrum disorders
  • Digestive issues
  • ADHD

Chiropractic care at a chiropractic clinic addresses spinal misalignments and optimizes nervous system function, leading to improved overall health and well-being for children.

How Chiropractic Care Supports a Child’s Development

By promoting proper spinal alignment, boosting immunity, and enhancing brain function, chiropractic care plays a significant role in supporting a child’s development. Ensuring your child’s spine is properly aligned and functioning optimally, chiropractic care can help reduce pain, improve posture, and decrease the risk of injury.

Additionally, chiropractic care has the potential to have a positive effect on and enhance brain function by optimizing the functioning of the nervous system. This can facilitate better communication between the brain and body, resulting in improved cognitive function and overall development.

It can also reduce stress and therefore strengthen the immune system. A strong immune system is essential for children’s overall health and well-being, helping them fight off illness and maintain optimal health.

Ensuring Safety and Comfort in Kid Chiropractic Sessions

Safety and comfort are top priorities in pediatric chiropractic sessions. We specialize in treating children using gentle techniques and strive to create a pleasant and positive experience for the child.

A kid chiropractor from impact chiropractic working with a patient.

By emphasizing safety and comfort, we provide effective, non-invasive treatments that address the unique needs of children. This allows your child to reap the benefits of chiropractic care while enjoying a positive, comfortable experience.

When to Seek Chiropractic Care for Your Child

When you notice signs of discomfort or developmental issues, or you have concerns about your child’s overall health, you should consider seeking chiropractic care for your child. Chiropractic care is safe and can be effective for infants, making it a viable option for addressing issues early in life.

Some indications that chiropractic care could be a viable treatment option for children include concerns about your child’s health or if the child has experienced falls or bumps that may have caused discomfort. By addressing these issues early on, chiropractic care can help alleviate symptoms and prevent long-term consequences.

Choosing the Right Pediatric Chiropractor

Choosing the right pediatric chiropractor is an essential step in ensuring the best care for your child. You should investigate the chiropractor’s qualifications, experience, and approach to ensure your child receives the highest quality of care.

Seek out a pediatric chiropractor with the following qualifications:

  • Advanced education and training in pediatric chiropractic care
  • Experience in treating children
  • Additional certifications in pediatric chiropractic care
  • Specific techniques and methods for adjusting children

Investing time in researching and choosing the right pediatric chiropractor gives you peace of mind that your child will receive optimal care and reap the benefits of chiropractic treatments.

Summary

In conclusion, kid chiropractic care offers a safe, gentle, and effective therapy for children, addressing their unique needs and promoting overall health. By focusing on maintaining proper nervous system function and addressing spinal misalignments, chiropractic care can support your child’s development and well-being.

Text neck: what it is and how to fix it

by

Do you ever look around and see kids hunched over looking at their phones? Is your child complaining about neck pain? Are you concerned that your teenager spends way too much time on their screen and it’s bad for their posture? Well, this is a real problem in today’s society. We are starting to see a new pandemic amongst our youth, and it is known as “text neck”. If you look at young kids these days when they are on their phones, it is pretty obvious what the issue is. They are hunched over with their head hanging down in a poor position for hours at a time. This is causing a lot of issues with their spinal health. More than ever, kids today are complaining about neck and back. Cell phone use is the reason. 

Growing up, it was very common for parents to get on their kids’ case about sitting up straight and having good posture. It is no mystery that having bad posture is very not good for your health. But why is that exactly? I’ll tell you. For every inch that your head is hanging forward past the normal position, you add about 10 pounds of pressure onto your spinal cord. It basically acts as a tether where the head hanging down is causing tension and pulling on the rest of the spine. This is very stressful for the spine and lower back muscles. This is what leads to back pain. Overtime, if this tether situation continues, this back pain will become more and more chronic and harder and harder to correct. If you don’t want your child to end up with chronic back pain in their 20s or 30s, follow these very easy steps on how to avoid or correct text neck in your children.

  1. Hold your screen at eye level. If we are looking down and leaning forward to look at our screens, we can easily correct this problem by bringing our cell phone up to match our eyes at I level. This may feel silly or uncomfortable at first, but I guarantee that overtime your neck and shoulders will feel a whole lot better when they are not strained by looking down all the time.
  2. Limit screen time. The easiest way to correct text neck is to reduce texting and social media. This problem is directly connected to the amount of time spent looking at the screen. Not only will this give your neck muscles a break, but it will give your brain and eyes break from all the simulation and lights. iPhone allows you to set App Limits for certain apps in the Screen Time section. 
  3. Take frequent breaks. If you or your children have to spend a lot of time on the computer at work, or at a desk in the classroom, you can at least take breaks to give your muscles a reset. I recommend that you set a timer for every 30 minutes to get up from your seat and walk around the house or the office. You can also stand up and stretch. Getting up and resetting your posture will help you feel better and alleviate pain, even if you only do it for only a few minutes.
  4. Exercise/stretch consistently. Incorporating a regular exercise routine is one of the best things that you can do for you and your children’s spinal health. It is recommended that you exercise at least 3 days a week for 60 minutes a day. You can look into hiring a personal trainer, going to fitness classes, or getting a membership at your local rec center where you have access to a weight room, a pool, and lots of fun activities to keep you moving and healthy.
  5. See a chiropractor. One of the best things that you can do for yourself or your child to correct your posture and avoid this chronic to text neck issue is to see a chiropractor regularly. Just as you would go to a dentist for regular check ups, it’s important to go to a chiropractor to get your spine checked too. Especially when we are constantly liking our screens. Keeping your spine in proper alignment is the best thing that you can do for your posture and overall health.

Written by Dr. Alison Bremner

AUTISM AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

by

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder, refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication, as well as unique strengths and differences. Researchers have found that there is no one form of autism but many types. Autism is caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates autism’s prevalence as 1 in 68 children in the United States. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.  Nearly a quarter-century ago, the Autism Society launched a nationwide effort to promote autism awareness and ensure that each person with ASD has the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life. We outline just a few educational challenges, health challenges, and how chiropractic can help below. 

EDUCATIONTIONAL CHALLENGES

Each year an estimated 50,000 teens with autism become adults and lose school-based services. These schools are equipped to deal with the social and mental development associated with autistic students. Unfortunately, this special training commonly ends upon high school graduation. This is one of the things Autism Societies would like to change. The goal is to further the education of these students which could decrease the one-third of young adults with ASD that never get a job or continue their education after high school.

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act is legislation that supports career and technical education (CTE) programs and helps autistic students gain skills necessary for employment by reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. The legislation was signed into law on July 31, 2018. 

HEALTH CHALLENGES

Autism is frequently accompanied by certain medical and mental health issues. They include gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures, sleep disturbances, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, phobias, and decreased immune responses. We know that the nervous system is so intimately linked with the digestive and immune systems. Because of that, by adjusting the spine and realigning the misalignments in those areas, proper neurological “signaling” into and out of the central nervous system can be achieved. This can help with sensory processing, social interaction, and behavioral and learning processes as well. Relieving the nervous system’s state of stress or applying the ”brakes” to the overactive nervous system, allows it to function at its optimum level. 

CHIROPRACTIC AND AUTISM

One way to assess the nervous system is to get it evaluated by a trained Pediatric Chiropractor. Pediatric Chiropractors are the only professionals that have a nervous system focus as well as the training and technology to analyze and detect any interference in the function of the nervous system. This type of chiropractic offers diagnostic testing similar to the technology you would see by going to a specialist. The results help us decide the best way to treat the patient to improve the function of the nervous system.

Autism Awareness Month is the whole month of April. It is so important to foster awareness and educate ourselves so that we can better serve autistic individuals.

To learn more:

https://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

How’s the Latch? Top 5 Ways Chiropractic Can Help!

by

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a great option when choosing how to feed your child. There are numerous neurological, nutritional, developmental, psychological, and immunological benefits that your baby can get throughout the process.  Due to this many mothers plan on breastfeeding, but give up early because of problems that have “no solution.” When you and your baby are first getting to know each other, it can be frustrating at times.  Many times mamas have trouble getting their baby to nurse. It’s hard!! It’s easy to be discouraged and want to give up. We’re here to tell you to stay strong. It’s not your fault that your little one isn’t latching properly, but there is something you can do to help support the relationship.

How Chiropractic Helps the Latch

In our office we see many infants presenting with latching problems, and after being evaluated and adjusted they are able to feed wonderfully. Specifically, we check children for vertebral subluxations. This occurs when the upper cervical vertebra or cranial bones are misaligned. This misalignment puts unnecessary stress on the nervous system, meaning the brain and the body may not be fully communicating as they should. It’s basically taking a dimmer switch and putting it on the nerves that come out at the level of the misalignment. This can cause numerous problems with the child’s health and development down the road.

The birthing process, no matter how natural and beautiful it is, can be hard on not just the mother but the child as well. In turn, this can result in misalignments that usually go undetected and unaddressed for years.  As chiropractors, we see infants presenting with difficulties latching firmly, inability to sustain suckling, only feeding in one position, chewing instead of suckling on the nipple, and a “need” to feed at all times. 

Benefits of Chiropractic for an Infant

When the C1 vertebra and cranial bones are properly aligned, neurological and mechanical problems resolve as shown below:

Helps baby turn head to go to both breasts equally

  • When the misalignment of the cranial and upper cervical vertebrae are present this will impinge the SCM muscle. This can cause extra tension in one side vs the other and in more extreme cases, Torticollis. When a baby has this, they will not want to turn their head to both sides equally and often favor one breast. Realigning the bones and allowing the nerves to communicate with the muscle properly, helps the baby to turn their head to both sides equally. In turn, they have easier positioning and access to breastfeeding.

Retraining muscle patterns

  • Another common difficulty we see, is that their suckle pattern is weak, irregular or using the wrong muscles. The communication into the muscles used primarily for sucking may not be firing correctly (weak suckle). This can lead to overcompensation and recruitment of muscles not originally needed for the motion. This can cause an irregular, or chewing like suckle. Again, realigning any misalignments will allow all the muscles to get the proper communication.

Helping to shape mouth properly

  • With improper tongue and oral use, the palate can lack the proper stimulation it needs in order to properly shape. We see many infants presenting with shallow or high palates which is going to affect the suckle itself. We help to identify and reshape the mouth when working with babies in order to regain proper oral function in nursing and into childhood.

Help Tongue Tie Release Heal

  • Another great way we can support oral function is helping tongue tie releases heal. After a baby gets a release, it is up to the parents to perform stretches for the body to heal properly. However, if there is a miscommunication in the nerves, we often see that the body takes longer to heal. We love working with babies that recently had tongue tie revisions to ensure that the body can heal to its full potential.

Bring your Infant to a Pediatric Chiropractor

If your infant is having trouble nursing and you feel as though you’ve tried everything to help them, bring them to a chiropractor. Infant chiropractic adjustments are gentle, safe, and extremely effective.  This could be one of the most important choices you make for your child, as breastfeeding provides many benefits to their health.

Make a new patient appointment today for your infant!

Diving into Neurodevelopmental Disorders

by

neurodevelopmental disorders

In today’s current world there is a trend being seen with one in four kids growing up with neurodevelopmental disorders. These disorders are hard to diagnose due to the varying degree and severity of symptoms. Leading to many kids getting misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

Neurodevelopmental disorders are classified as sensory processing disorder. This is seen when the function of the nervous system is altered where the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. This can present in a lot of different ways including delayed development, incorrect responses to tasks or questions, inability to focus or sit still, forgetfulness, tantrums, colic, digestion issues, asthma, allergies, ect.

Another category of the neurodevelopmental disorders is ADHD in which the body actually gets overstimulated and goes into exhaustion. Due to this, the body responds to all stimuli by overworking the musculoskeletal system as its defense mechanism. This can cause symptoms like attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

The big issue with all these kids is dysregulation of the nervous system. 

In our nervous system we have two different modes that we can live in; a parasympathetic mode aka the brake pedal and then a sympathetic model aka the gas pedal. Your body ideally should stay in the parasympathetic mode where the body promotes growing, digestion, and rest. While the sympathetic mode is only needed for when the body is put in danger and you get an adrenaline rush. A huge thing that we see with these kiddos is they can get overwhelmed and stuck into this gas pedal mode. This can take all their energy and put it towards excessive muscle movement and prevent them from actually getting to digest food, rest, and develop. 

Chiropractors are specifically trained to detect any nervous system disruptions that are present in kiddos. The spine actually encases the spinal cord and nerves come out at every single level of the spine. Misalignments in the spine can alter how the nervous system functions in many ways. It can alter how a sensation is perceived, how then the sensation is processed, and can alter the body response to be different. Also having these issues in the spine will lead to being the stimulation of the fight or flight mode. Leading to dysfunction and miscommunication in the body. The main goal of chiropractic is to relieve any stress on the nervous system in order to process information better and have a higher overall function level in the body. 

The leading cause of this dysfunction in the nervous system is stress. When looking at kiddos there are three forms of stress that affect their body which include physical, emotional, and chemical. Physical stress is the most commonly thought of when looking at kids. Normal kids as they grow and develop are running around and falling down 20 times a day, affects their spine and nervous system. Another physical stress that is not often thought about is birth trauma. The process can be beautiful and natural but can be a lot for a little baby’s body. Up to 60-120 pounds of traction is applied to the baby’s neck and spine during a natural vaginal birth with a doctor assisting head out.  This causes trauma in the spine and in turn the nervous system. Emotional stress includes any family, school, or relationship issues. Kids may not be able to know exactly what is going on but can get worked up and put their bodies into a stressed and sympathetic mode. Lastly, chemical stress is anything that kids eat or put on their body, that the body in turn has to process. 

For these kids it is important to get their nervous system checked allowing them the best environment in order to develop to their fullest potential and handle all the day to day stress. Get them out and exercising to help their body develop needed motor skills to allow full development. Good nutrition is always needed in order to fuel the body and grow new cells. 

Wondering if chiropractic care is right for you child? Learn more about pediatric care at Impact Chiropractic.