Chiropractic care is an essential aspect of your overall health. Our spine, nervous system, bones and joints are important parts of our body that need just as much consideration and care as our skin, teeth or immune system. If we notice aches and pains, we understand that a chiropractor can assist in treating the issue. We don’t realize that the pain may stem from injuries we suffered in our childhood. The effects of small trauma aren’t always obvious, so we assume current pains are the result of recent trauma. In reality, our pain can stem from accumulated damage that occurred 10 to 20 years ago, and as adults we recognize the pain and visit a chiropractor to address the issue. Our children are less cognizant of the tiny aches and pains, and they can experience developmental and general health problems. With the help of a pediatric chiropractor trained to gently adjust your child’s ever-changing body, you can provide them with the care they need.
Pediatric Chiropractic Care
The manner in which children are adjusted is very gentle. When we compare the years of untreated injuries adults have, the relative trauma of a child is much easier to handle. The pediatric chiropractor uses the gentlest of pressure when conducting an adjustment. They can also use a device, called an arthrostim, that lightly taps to restore spinal health and alignment so there is no cracking as you may have seen in traditional chiropractic. This process is used to lessen the effects of the most common causes of spinal misalignments. Most common are trauma of childbirth, sitting up unsupported, standing, and learning to walk. The average child falls over 1,000 times just learning how to walk.
Adult chiropractic issues typically are the result of the early stumbles and falls of childhood, so by adjusting a child we are ensuring their adult health. It is very important to take care of the minor problems that may occur early in your child’s life. By learning the signs of chiropractic trauma you can be aware if you should take your child to see a specialist.
Growth and Development
During childbirth the baby experiences a significant amount of trauma from the pressure, the pulling and being handled after birth. It is during the first five years of life that, due to constant manipulation and exploration, a child experiences countless minor traumas. These injuries are often repetitive falls by discovering the joys of crawling, walking and running. A baby does not register pain in the same way we do, but because of the sensitivity of the spine and nervous system you may notice small signs that reveal an injury. If you notice your child constantly shifting or readjusting themselves to a primary position, a preference in side when being held or breastfeeding, as well as limping or balancing issue may be primary signs that a child is in need of chiropractic.
The next five years are just as accelerated, so the damage that occurs here adds to the primary injuries. This is the true phase of exploration. A child is likely to jump, run, fall and do every other activity they’re learning, however now they have words and reactions for the pain they’ll experience. The cries of pain indicate good development of the spinal cord and nervous system, but also the addition of more trauma. These areas are still very fragile and a child could experience various issues including learning disorders, health concerns, poor or uneven posture, or spinal deformation.
As your child matures the trauma will only increase. Simple motor functions like sitting and standing could be painful due to poor posture. Carrying heavy objects like a full backpack or bags of groceries become more of a chore because of untreated back injuries. Weight gain can place even more stress on the body. Through involvement with sports, improper lifting and carrying practices and other forms of trauma they will experience similar aches and pains as you. You may even notice existing learning or motor disorders, medical conditions and problems in school get worse. Many conditions that your child may be facing could be a result of problems with the nervous system or due to spinal damage. These issues can be easily remedied with chiropractic adjustment, the sooner it is applied the better the results will be.
Children grow up so quickly that it can be hard to notice small signs that identify an issue that warrants a chiropractic adjustment. The truth is that even at an early stage in life, the relatively small trauma warrants a visit to a physician. There are many opportunities throughout each phase of a child’s development to work with the natural elasticity and growth of the spine to get results from chiropractic adjustment.
If you would like to speak with a pediatric chiropractor about the benefits of treating chiropractic trauma in children contact Parkside Health & Wellness Center and schedule a consultation.