Chiropractic is a great approach to many issues facing children from infancy and throughout their developmental stages of growth to young adulthood. Although those issues change greatly depending on the child’s age; if the musculoskeletal system is under stress or unbalanced the nerves and muscles of the area will become affected and show up in various ways. Chiropractic care is a natural way to release those stresses and restore biomechanical and nerve function to the body, therefore providing improved motion and health.
Our office deals commonly with children of all ages due to Dr. Hedgepeth’s
specialty. Many families are referred directly to our office through their pediatrician
or other health care providers and many may research and find us on their own as a
care option for their particular situation.
Common problems for which parents seek chiropractic care for their children are:
Breastfeeding difficulties
Symptoms could include: tight jaw or a chewing style latch, difficulty feeding on one side over the other, feedings that result in pain/pressure lines, blistering or cracking for the mom. An improper latch can then lead to an increasingly fussy baby because they will not be fully satisfied by quality feedings, and can end up with increased gas as well by allowing in too much air during the feeding.
Torticollis
This is an asymmetry of the neck/shoulder alignments and the muscles of those areas. Parents usually notice a head tilt, rotation and preference to turn to one side. Often the baby will fuss if put into a position facing the side they don’t like.
Repeat Fluid Buildup in the Ears
The upper neck area is a key player in helping bring about some relief with this situation. Tensions or dysfunction here relates to attachments that can decrease lymphatic drainage; when fluid is not able to drain well – it can back up. It is this back up of fluid that then can become infected with bacteria that thrive in warm, moist environments leading to an infection. If the tensions and blockages are released, the fluid can drain, and then without the fluid back up, the bacteria doesn’t have the environment to grow well – so there will be less chance of full blown infections. I teach parents to do a home lymphatic drainage massage to encourage flow and drainage of lymph system.
Colic/General Discomfort/Fussiness
These symptoms and other GI issues like constipation can also benefit from the release of dysfunctions in the spine – most notably of the pelvis as a restriction to smooth elimination processes. Simple gas massage techniques are something I also go over with parents, along with other tips on positions to help with discomfort.
Sports Injuries/Repetitions
Times of repetitive motions, as well as any falls or tumbles associated with the sport or activity can challenge the posture and create aches and pains for the athlete.
Growing Pains
The discomforts that often are discounted as growing pains can often be from misalignments in the child’s spine that can create uneven gait and motions that put unbalanced pressure on the joints.
Headaches
Childhood headaches are common and can often relate to postural challenges during different growth stages, use of technology, heavy backpacks, and head forward positions which can attribute stress to the shoulder and neck regions creating discomforts.