Why Do Kids Need Chiropractic Care?
You may wonder why an infant or young child would need chiropractic care. After all, they’re not complaining of back or neck pain. The birth process, however, can be traumatic for children, causing spinal misalignments. That’s one of the reasons why having your infant get chiropractic care as soon as possible after birth is important.
Checking Reflexes, Strength & ROM
Children may not tell us what hurts, but their reflexes can. The plantar reflex, moral reflex, and Babinski are just a few of the reflexes that provide insights into whether a toddler’s nervous system is developing as it should.
Dr. Denn also looks for strength and range of motion in children. If a child leans their head one way because of a preference for sleeping on that side, it could lead to torticollis—a condition characterized by tight muscles on one side and weakness on the other. Chiropractic care ensures the neck is in alignment, preventing such issues.
Providing Gentle & Effective Adjustments
Pediatric chiropractic adjustments are simple, easy, and gentle, applying only about the weight of a dime in pressure to the spine. Often, infants lean towards this pressure, enabling the adjustment to take place smoothly and painlessly.
Help for Common Issues
Ear infections and colic are two common issues Dr. Denn encounters. These conditions often result from stress to the cervical spine during delivery. As the baby’s neck muscles are still developing, these issues may go unnoticed until symptoms present.
One overlooked cause of colic is the complexity of the proteins found in some baby formulas. These complex proteins can be difficult for a baby’s stomach to break down, leading to discomfort and crying. The baby’s natural response is to expel the formula, which can be mistaken for a symptom of colic.
Through gentle adjustments and a keen understanding of a child’s developmental signs, chiropractors like Dr. Denn can provide the care these little ones need, even when they can’t articulate their discomfort themselves.