How Safe Is Chiropractic Care For Children?

It is evident from research that chiropractic care has been effective in relieving ailments in children. The benefits of chiropractic care count highly over other forms of medication, especially for children. Having said that, there are still doubts over the safety of this health cure procedure, whether it is viable for children. As more and more chiropractors treat children, questions on the safety considerations of the procedure are assuming greater importance.

Children and adolescents in general constitute a significant number of chiropractic patients. 420,000 pediatric chiropractic visits were made in the Boston metropolitan area in 1998, costing approximately $14 million.

A common reason a child receives chiropractic care is trauma from an injury of some sort that has caused a misalignment. These misalignments may or may not result in symptoms or pain. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify spinal injuries from such traumas, and make corrections early on. This helps avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.

Another sought-out reason for chiropractic care in children is to treat a particular symptom or condition, such as colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies and headaches. In such cases, chiropractic care is widely reported by parents to offer relief.

This chiropractic therapy does not treat conditions or diseases. The chiropractor checks the child's spine for misalignments that impair nervous system function, which may affect overall body function. As most people realize, the bones of the vertebrae and spine house and protect the spinal cord, which is an extension of the brain and which carries information from the brain to the body parts, and then back to the brain again. Subluxations, or twists and turns along the vertebrae, interfere with the nerves' ability to transmit this vital information.

As in adults, the nerve system of children controls and coordinates the function of all the systems in the body: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, hormonal, eliminative and immune system. Any aspect of health may be impaired by nerve interference. Chiropractic adjustments in children restore nerve system function, allowing their small bodies the ability to express a greater state of health and well-being.

The doctor of chiropractic will take a case history and perform a chiropractic exam to determine if spinal subluxations exist. Chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to fit a child's size, weight, and unique spinal condition. Chiropractors apply minimal force of short amplitude for the spinal adjustments to reduce the risk to younger patients. They are both gentle and specific to the child's developing spinal structures.

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 and well-being while undergoing chiropractic care.

If you would like to learn more about how chiropractic care can help your child, please don't hesitate to call us today for a free consultation.