Some things are for adults, and some are for kids. Adults get…
And kids get…
But some things are for everybody. As a chiropractor for kids, I’ve seen the amazing ways chiropractic helps from some our oldest kids to our brand newest.
The power of chiropractic care lies in regulating the nervous system, our body’s electrical grid. Without our nervous system, our brain wouldn’t be able to communicate with our body. We wouldn’t be able to speak or walk, and our heart wouldn’t be able to beat.
Every function, voluntary and involuntary, relies on our nervous system to make it happen. So, it seems wise to want to care for our nervous system as best we can. It also makes sense that a child whose body and brain are still developing would want to see a chiropractor to ensure everything is properly progressing.
Chiropractic care uses spinal manipulation to align the spine and reduce pressure on the musculoskeletal system so the body can function correctly. I’m sure there are people out there saying, “but they’re kids, they’re pure, they’re perfect. They’ve only been alive for eight minutes; how could their spine already be messed up?”
I rest my case. We can experience subluxations – misalignments in our spine – as early as birth! It’s definitely a miracle, but it’s not the most zen experience ever…so I’ve heard.
Raising a child sometimes feels like fighting a war. Except in this war, some days you’ll beg to step on a landmine. I’m kidding! Pediatric chiropractic care is the life raft many parents need to help them keep peace and raise a strong child. Parents take their children to see a pediatric chiropractor to:
- Maximize neural plasticity and brain development
- Reduce asthma
- Help with breastfeeding
- Improve posture
- Improve concentration
- Enhance emotional wellbeing
- Alleviate digestive problems
- Assist with bed-wetting
I think we can all agree that any kid would kill to have one or two of the things on this list.
If the list of benefits stopped there, I’d be sold on the all-natural power of chiropractic care to improve our health and well-being. But it doesn’t!! These five effects of care will absolutely revolutionize childhood and parenthood.
1. Strong Immune System
Young children are basically in a perpetual state of sickness. Their immature immune system is unable to handle a world riddled with viruses and bacteria. It isn’t until around eight years old that a kid’s immune system takes off its training wheels, but even beyond that, it’s essential to keep their immune system strong and effective to battle off whatever comes their way.
Immature Immune System:
Mature Immune System:
Pressure or compression within the spine compromises immunity. Chiropractic treatment optimizes nerve function throughout the body, allowing the immune system to work more effectively to keep children healthy and strong. Eliminating these areas of pressure improves circulation and enables every body system to work better.
2. Better Night’s Sleep
It’s common knowledge that parents are some of the best-rested human beings.
Night feeds, broken sleep, and early mornings affect our children’s health, but they also affect ours. New parents love to talk about how tired they are because their exhaustion is all-consuming. If a child sleeps better, a parent sleeps better, which is really what this is all about.
The smallest spinal misalignment can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. The muscle stiffness and pain from a subluxation wake them from their sleep, make it difficult for them to fall asleep, or prevent them from getting the quality of sleep they need. All that’s left is a grump. Chiropractic treatments can help reduce muscle tension, allowing children to relax more effectively before bedtime and get a better night’s sleep.
3. Avoid Common Childhood Illness
As we know, kids have famously bad immune systems. It’s kind of pathetic. It seems like every day there’s a new runny nose-ear infection-colic-allergies-reflux issue. This constant stream of illness is stressful for the entire family, and it’s never fun to watch a kid needlessly suffer.
Chiropractic adjustments remove nervous system pressure, stimulating oxygen and blood flow throughout the body and improving the functioning of every system in a child’s body.
- Ear Infection or Sinus Congestion – adjustments help drain fluid back up in the ears
- Asthma – spinal adjustments reduce pinched or misaligned nerves affecting the bronchial tubes, lungs, or diaphragm
- Constipation – adjustments improve the function of the nerves that control the digestive system
- Colic – adjustments are natural pain relief for an inconsolable baby
4. Risk of Injury
Kids are very accident-prone.
They’re trying to adapt to a new environment in a body whose physical capabilities are changing daily. Once a kid starts to crawl, it’s all over. The more mobile they become, the more danger they’re bound to encounter.
Chiropractic care is extremely useful in helping kids transition from each stage of physical development with fewer injuries. It helps fortify the connection between their brain and body, so they understand where they are in space and what their body can do.
Even a micro-trauma, like an innocent fall while learning to walk, can lead to subluxations, increasing the chances of long-term health issues. Luckily, chiropractors are experts in locating and correcting subluxations to ensure proper development.
No, babe, I’ve got someone even better in mind.
5. Reduced Symptoms of ADHD
Some skeptics out there think this couldn’t possibly be true, but several studies indicate that kids with ADD and ADHD experience positive transformations with chiropractic care. In some cases, chiropractic care could be more effective than medication at treating these behavioral disorders.
Chiropractic’s innate effects on cognitive function and development, and the easing of stress and tension in the nervous system, relieve symptoms like hyperactivity, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
I’ve seen firsthand the powerful effect chiropractic care has on the development of kids and how their quality of life, not to mention that of their parents, is markedly improved. Call us or schedule a time to meet with one of our amazing doctors. We want to set every kid up for success.
