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Chiropractic: Babies & Children.

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Why Do Babies and Children Need Chiropractic?

Most people are surprised to learn that babies, some only a few days old, have their spines checked by a chiropractor. Once the facts are explained though, most parents see that having their child's spine checked can be an important part of their healthcare.

The birth process is potentially very stressful for a newborn's spine. A difficult birth, forceps delivery, vacuum extraction or Caesarean birth may produce significant stress on a newborn's delicate spine. The pulling, twisting, and compression of the infant's spine during birth often results in damage to the newborn spine and related nervous system.

In fact the birth process, even under optimal controlled conditions is potentially a traumatic, crippling event for the foetus due to mechanical stressors placed on the foetus.

Chiropractors and medical doctors have found that this stress can easily cause vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxation is a condition where the bones of the spine malfunction or misalign and this stretches or irritates the delicate spinal nerves.

Nerve dysfunction associated with birth trauma may result in breathing weakness, irritability, colic, difficulty with feeding and attachment, sleeping problems and neurological defects. Undetected, these problems may develop into learning difficulties, asthma, ear infections, hyperactivity and other health problems.

Clinical experience and an increasing amount of scientific research have shown that removal of vertebral subluxation associated with birth trauma and childhood accidents can dramatically affect the health of your child.

‘’The goal of chiropractic care is not to treat ear infections, colic, asthma, sleep disturbances or any of the other symptoms that babies, but to help return the nervous system to proper function via removal of a vertebral subluxation that may be present. This, in turn, may help return health to the rest of the body’’.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Infants

The chiropractic adjustment for a child is a very gentle procedure. It differs dramatically from those performed on adults. With no more pressure applied than you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato or touch your eyeball, the chiropractor will touch the baby’s back, neck or head. At other times they may choose to gently massage the muscles on either side of the baby’s spine, or stomach.

65% of Neurological development (development of the brain and nervous system) occur in your child’s first year. It is therefore important to ensure that every baby had the opportunity to maximize their nerve function during this critical period of their development.

Later, regular chiropractic checkups are helpful to monitor spinal development as infants sit upright, begin to support their head, learn to crawl and take their first brave steps.

A child’s body may be resilient but as any machine or engine requires maintenance and service to help it run smoothly, so does your child’s nervous system require care.

What to Expect on Your Child's First Visit to Our Clinic

The purpose of this first visit is to determine whether or not chiropractic may be of benefit to your child. We are interested in your child's total health and well being. Therefore you may be asked specific detailed questions about your child's health history.

This may include questions about previous illnesses, accidents and even questions about your child's birth. The answer to these questions may give us vital clues as to the source of your child's problems.

A physical examination will then be performed. This may include a postural examination as well as a detailed spinal examination. Relevant orthopedic and neurological tests may also be necessary. Most importantly with every child we take the time to ensure that you, the parent, have a thorough understanding of your child's condition.

No treatment is provided to your child until parents have an understanding of firstly what is wrong and secondly what needs to be done to resolve the problem. Our commitment to you the parents is that any care provided to your child will be very gentle and most importantly completely safe.

Does your child suffer from any of the following:

• Ear Infections
• Colic
• Migraine
• Gastric Reflux
• Recurrent Chest Infections
• Hyperactivity
• Bedwetting
• Fatigue
• Recurrent Throat Infections
• Arm and Leg Pain
• Headache - Asthma
• Poor Co-ordination
• Sleeping Problems
• Irritability
• Growing Pains
• Learning Difficulties
• Back Pain
• Stomach Ache
• Visual Problems
• Digestive Disorders
• Scoliosis
• Poor Posture

Extensive clinical experience supported by an ever increasing amount of scientific research has shown that a wide range of childhood symptoms may respond favorably to chiropractic.