Pediatric Chiropractor

Just as kids get regular checkups from pediatricians, eye doctors and dentists, so they should also have their backs checked regularly by a chiropractor. By ensuring that a child’s growing spine develops properly, a chiropractic adjustment, when needed, improves the health of their nervous system, and, therefore, the health of their entire body.

Why Is Chiropractic Care for Kids So Important?
Kids are active. They jump and run around. They roughhouse. They bump into things. They hurt themselves. We know, we have four boys under the age of eight! Their bodies may be resilient, but spinal misalignments (or subluxation, as they are called) can put them in pain, making them grumpy or fatigued. They can impair joint function and, therefore, restrict mobility. This may impact sports or day-to-day play. Because the nervous system controls the entire body, sometimes other systems may be affected as well.

Dr. Matt's three oldest boys

Subluxations can also affect a child’s overall health. The spine is an important part of the central nervous system, enclosing a network of nerve fibers that send messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Improper spinal alignment can interfere with those messages, and the effects can reverberate through almost every system in the body. In other words, poor alignment can give rise to “dis-ease,” a condition marked by discomfort and less-than-optimal functioning.

What Happens if a Subluxation Goes Untreated?
A healthy spine makes a healthy child. Poor spinal health, on the other hand, can cause:

Fatigue
Poor posture and forward tilting of the neck
Frequent falling or poor coordination
Unevenness in the hips, shoulders, arms1

It can also contribute to or exacerbate more general health problems, such as:

Digestive issues
Muscle weakness
Joint Aches
Poor concentration
Lowered immunity
Ear infections
Headaches
ADHD and Hyperactivity
Bedwetting
Sensory disorders

Signs Your Child May Need a Chiropractic Adjustment
Just like adults, children with subluxations may not know that anything is wrong, either because misalignments cause no symptoms or because the symptoms go unnoticed. They go about their daily routine, never understanding the cause of their pain, discomfort, or lack of energy.

The effects can be far-reaching, but the solution is simple: Periodic checkups by a chiropractor. Once you remove the source of the dis-ease, the child will bounce back and start acting like their normal, active selves. In other words, chiropractic adjustments should play an important role in any childhood dis-ease prevention strategy.

How Young Is Too Young?
Chiropractic adjustments are so safe, they’re even recommended for infants. Why would a baby need a chiropractic adjustment? Because they too are subject to subluxations.

Dr. Matt's youngest son.

Everything from the birthing process to poor sleeping position can move their spines out of alignment. They’re also vulnerable when they first move their heads, sit up, crawl, stand up, and walk.

One study found that 95% of babies who experienced sleeplessness, vomiting, and hyperactivity were found to have subluxations. After receiving a chiropractic adjustment, many of them stopped crying, relaxed their muscles, and became sleepy.2 Dr. Matt has witnessed this time and time again in his practice.

Adjusting an infant is very different from adjusting an adult. Dr. Matt has taken many post graduate courses through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (www.icpa4kids.org) regarding the care and treatment of our youngest patients. These adjustments are extremely gentle and at infancy, often begin with only fingertip pressure.

As children get older, the sources of subluxation only increase as they learn to walk, run, jump, and explore the limits of their amazing bodies. We are here to help you and your growing family.

Pediatric Chiropractic Services in Marysville, WA
At McCann Family Chiropractic, we treat both adults and children, including infants. Dr. Matt knows how to make gentle adjustments that are safe and effective. He’s focused not only on correcting subluxations, but on maintaining the overall health of every patient, young or old, through expert chiropractic care.

Give us a call at (360) 657-7183 or send us a message through our site to schedule an appointment for your child with Dr. Matt.

Sources
1 http://www.korenpublications.com/images/products/00001634.pdf
2 http://www.korenpublications.com/images/products/00001655.pdf

Chiropractic Kids