Chiropractic for Kids
Pediatric Benefits With Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care
Messages exchanged between the brain and body (through billions of nerves) guide the transformation of a newborn child into an adult. Each message provides instructions to the child’s growing body to provide for immune function, coordination of muscle activity, repair and growth of tissues, respiration and digestion among others.
As with adults, upper cervical (neck) misalignments can have significant effects upon the nervous system’s ability to transmit information to and from a child’s body.
How can newborns and children develop spinal injuries early in life? It can begin with the normal birthing process.1-5 Even during the gentlest of births, presentation of the baby’s head through the birth canal requires physical pressure exerted by the mother. This can force the baby’s neck to twist or bend causing misalignment of the upper cervical vertebrae. Use of suction and/or forceps can compound the problem. Breech births place the newborn at unique risk for developing upper cervical problems depending upon the presentation and total time of labor.
If the newborn makes it through the birthing process unaffected, the inevitable tumbles and falls of childhood increase the risk of injury to the upper cervical spine potentially compromising brain-body communication. An evaluation is necessary in each child’s case to assess whether an upper cervical injury is present and whether benefit from Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care can be achieved.
Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for Children
The Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic care that we provide is an effective and affordable program that addresses children’s health conditions associated with the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. While being gentle, noninvasive and drug-free, Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic adjustments treat, resolve and prevent a wide range of health problems. Recent research by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) found spinal manipulative therapy safe and successful in treating children of all ages.
Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care and Acute Conditions in Children
Acute conditions may result from birth trauma, sports mishaps, slips, falls, car accidents and other situations which cause injuries and whiplash affects. Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care benefits children by correcting the spinal alignment to improve their overall health. When the upper cervical vertebral joints (especially the atlas vertebrae) are misaligned during birth or from a blow or fall, muscle tissue and nerves may also be affected. Spinal adjustments free joints, restore motion and relieve nerve pressure, which may be the cause of additional ailments. Parents report successful treatment of children’s health issues such as acute earaches, headaches, upper respiratory infections, muscle pain, neck pain and other traumas associated from accidents.
Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care and Chronic Conditions in Children
Chiropractic America reports that natural, drug-free chiropractic care is sometimes more effective than traditional medical approaches for chronic earache, scoliosis, and neck pain. Headaches and sleep disorders of nonspecific causes respond well to spinal adjustments, which affect and repair interrupted neural pathways. Asthma, allergy symptoms, and patterns of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also be treatable with chiropractic care.
Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care and Prevention of Ailments
Periodic ongoing adjustments at a young age may help stave off the above ailments before they begin. Proper spinal alignment now may delay or prevent degenerative bone or joint disease, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In addition to maintaining children’s health, regular visits to our office will help instill the value of proactive health care in kids. They’ll be more likely to monitor and manage their health as they grow up and less likely to be afraid or in denial of any health problems. Encouraging good lifelong health habits is one of Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic’s best benefits for kids.
Research Articles and Publications
- Journal Article, “Cortical Blindness, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Recurring Otitis Media: A Case Study in Chiropractic Management.” by William Amalu, DC. Today’s Chiropractic May / June 1998.
- Journal Article, “Autism, Asthma, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Strabismus, Illness Susceptibility: A Study in Chiropractic Management” by William Amalu, DC. Published in Today’s Chiropractic September / October 1998.
- Journal Article, “Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for a Nine-Year-Old Male with Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Asthma, Insomnia, and Headaches: A Case Report” by Erin Elster, DC. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. July 2003.
- Journal Article, “Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for a Patient with Chronic Migraine Headaches with an Appendix Summarizing an Additional 100 Headache Cases “ by Erin Elster, DC. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. August, 2003
- Journal Article, “Sixteen Infants with Acid Reflux and Colic Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to Correct Vertebral Subluxation: A Retrospective Analysis of Outcome” by Erin L. Elster, DC. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health Chiropractic. May 2009.
- Journal Article, “Alternative Caregivers Find Success With Children” by Debbie Melani. Daily Camera. June 9, 1998.
- Journal Article, “Drug-Free Alternative For Pediatric Headaches” by Erin Elster, DC. Boulder County Family Connection. July 2000.
- Journal Article, “Chiropractic Management of 47 Asthma Cases” by William Amalu, DC. Today’s Chiropractic. November 2000.
References:
- Phelan JP, Ahn MO. Perinatal observations in forty-eight neurologically impaired term infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1994 Aug; 171(2):424-31.
- Banks BD, Beck RW, Columbus M. Sudden infant death syndrome: a literature review with chiropractic implications. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1987 Oct; 10(5): 246-52.
- Gottlieb MS. Neglected spinal cord, brain stem and musculoskeletal injuries stemming from birth trauma. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1993 Oct; 16(8):537-43.
- Ratner AI, Marulina VI. Clinical picture and diagnosis of a myotonic syndrome in children resulting from birth injury. Zh Nevropatol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 1981; 81(10):1461-6.
- Tobin A. Latent spinal cord and brain stem injury in newborn infants. Develp. Med. Child. Neurol. 1969;11, 54-68.