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While you may be comfortable with the idea of getting chiropractic treatment for your own benefits, you’d do a double-take if one would suggest that your kid should go see a chiropractor.
You may think that your kid is still young to undergo chiropractic treatment. You don’t want to subject your kid to the adjustments that use high-velocity force. And as there seems to be nothing wrong with their physical growth, why go see a chiropractor?
These are some of the misconceptions that you may have about chiropractic treatment for children. In fact, most parents would have the same sentiments too.
Let’s first explore the daily habits of children and the problems arising from them. Let’s then see how chiropractic care can help address these problems.
PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED IN CHILDHOOD
Childhood is regarded as the most crucial, formative years.
This is where the stage is set for a person to grow, not just physically, but emotionally and intellectually.
That’s why we tend to encourage our children to engage in physical activities as it’s a natural, fast, and easy way for them to explore and discover new things.
Of course, falling, stumbling, and bruising come with the territory. Most of the time, the injuries are not that serious. A quick Band-Aid fix and off they go, resuming their play.
There could also be heart-stopping moments that necessitate going to the ER where the injuries involve broken bones and deeper cuts, requiring more time to heal. Either way, you usually resort to conventional medical treatments for your child.
Although the cases above don’t necessarily cause continuous pain and discomfort, they can cause shifts in your child’s musculoskeletal system that can be the onset of spine misalignment. It can interfere in the efficient functioning of your child’s nervous system, thus impacting the body’s optimal function.
This potentially leads to joint pain and postural problems, and conditions that may even seem unrelated, like ear infections, headaches, and much more.
To overcome these issues and treat your child further, why don’t you consider pediatric chiropractic care? In fact, more and more parents are looking into this alternative.
Just like chiropractic for adults, pediatric chiropractic care serves to correct misalignments, which in turn improves a child’s wellness and helps to prevent future problems.
Children’s bodies are in the stage of rapid growth and development. The spine should be aligned perfectly to support the proper development of the body and brain.
Pediatric chiropractors employ various chiropractic treatments to relieve tense muscles that can cause the misaligned spine or subluxation.The treatment is always adapted to individual patients, so in cases of children, it will be gentle. So, rest assured that high-velocity adjustments would not be used in treating them.
There are many benefits of getting chiropractic treatment for your child.
Here are the main ones:
Minimizes health risks from falls and injuries
Bumps and bruises are common for young children as they frequently engage in playing and rough-housing. Although their outer wounds can quickly heal, it’s much harder to tell when they have microtrauma.
Microtrauma consists of the micro-tearing of muscle fibers, the sheath around the muscle, and the connective tissue. Over time, these microtraumas can lead to misalignments, which can manifest into health issues and degeneration later in life. Your chiropractor has the expertise in locating these misalignments and correcting them, effectively curbing the issues right where they start.
Helps with sleeping
Having a good-quality sleep is an essential part of your child’s life. It doesn’t just help them function during the day, it’s also important for their overall development and emotional well-being.
As chiropractic care serves to release stress in the body, it can improve your child’s sleeping patterns. You could potentially avoid their tantrums too with the sufficient, satisfying sleep they’re getting (Some might say you would’ve dodged a bullet!).
Treats childhood issues such as sinus and asthma
Many studies have proven the efficacy of chiropractic care in treating a variety of childhood illnesses and conditions. If your child is sick with an ear ache or sinus congestion, a chiropractic adjustment can help in draining fluid from the ears that’s causing the pressure. And if your child suffers from asthma, an adjustment may help in reducing pinched or misaligned nerves that may be affecting the bronchial tubes, lungs, or diaphragm.
Improves brain development
Poor spinal health can affect the nervous system and lead to problems within the brain-body connection taking place in a growing child. For example, children with developmental delays may have spinal misalignments that cause nerve interference. Messages can’t get through from the brain to the rest of the body as per normal, leading to dysfunction.
Hence, optimal spinal health is vital. This is where chiropractic care comes in. It helps the nerves of the brain to develop a strong connection with the rest of the body. Increased brain development promotes better concentration, improves focus, and reduces hyperactivity. This ultimately helps in your child’s overall learning experience.
Promotes good healthy living
Chiropractic not only helps align the spine and neck, but also clears the neural pathways. This helps the nervous system to perform well, which is crucial to healthy living. Children with a properly aligned spine and neck tend to have better posture and overall health.
As chiropractic care helps in reducing stress and anxiety, it improves your child’s behavior too. It’s only logical that one would be better-behaved if their mood and attitude are improved through released tension. With an improved attitude, they can develop a positive mindset.
Also, due to chiropractic’s holistic approach, it’s a good foundation for regular exercise, healthy eating, and a healthy overall lifestyle in your child.
Is chiropractic treatment safe for my child?
Chiropractic treatment is considered as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of nervous and muscular issues. All Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) receive pediatric training as part of their core curriculum while studying for their doctorates. So, they have expertise in working with children, as well as providing assessments on pediatric spinal problems.
Chiropractors adopt very gentle adjustments and pediatrics techniques that involve light fingertip pressure to correct spinal misalignments. The amount of ‘force’ is often not more than a finger touch. Other techniques include the use of hand-held instruments that provide specific and gentle correction to children.
Your child will also benefit from not having to consume drugs just to address their health issues.
Therefore, you can be sure that chiropractic care is extremely safe for children.
What’s the next step?
Now that you know the advantages of chiropractic care for your child, what to do next? First, inform your medical doctor about your intention of seeking chiropractic treatment for your child. Once your child obtains their clearance, feel free to schedule an appointment with us.
My Spine Network
SACC Mall, Shah Alam (+6019 - 667 5651)
Bandar Kinrara Welcome Centre, BK 5 (+6014 - 922 5651)