Babies & Toddlers

Chiropractic for adults is very important, but chiropractic for children is vital. Children today have many more obstacles to face than they may have had 20 to 25 years ago.

More and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children because many spinal problems seen in adults begin as early as birth. Even the most straightforward or ‘perfect’ birth places a great deal of stress on both mother and child. The passage through the vaginal canal, or via caesarean, is not an easy one. After birth it is not uncommon that your baby may have an imbalance through their spine which can stress the baby’s nervous system.

The expertise of the chiropractor is in checking the child’s spine for subluxations (misalignments) that impair nerve system function, thereby affecting overall body function. These subluxations interfere with the nerves’ ability to transmit vital information from the brain to the rest of the body. Colic, breathing problems, developmental delay, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and chronic infections can often be traced to nervous system stress caused by subluxations. Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for it.

The rate in which a child’s brain develops in the first 5 years of life is exponential. They are born with all of the neurons that they will ever have, their brain doubles in size within the first year, reaches 80% of its adult capacity by 3 years of age and is 90% developed by age 5. As the child grows, learning to hold up his or her head, sit, crawl and walk are all activities that affect, and can be affected by, spinal alignment. These milestones are important times to have a child evaluated by a chiropractor.

How is chiropractic performed on children?

Chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal developmental stage. Adjustments can be performed with hands, instruments, or pillow-like blocks and are gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures. Chiropractic care for babies is extremely gentle, involving little adjustments using light finger pressure, no more than would be used to check the ripeness of a fruit.

Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care.

As some chiropractors prefer not to work with children, it is always best to call your preferred clinic first, who will help you choose the most suitable practitioner. Some chiropractors tailor their practice around children and focus on preventative health, while others focus on other specialties.