Chiropractic care for children can offer the same benefits as it does for adults. Specifically, chiropractic for children can reduce and eliminate vertebral subluxations that cause stress to the nervous system. This, in turn, reduces overall discomfort caused by various conditions related to spinal and cranial misalignment. Many also believe that chiropractic adjustments in children boost natural immunity to various childhood diseases.
Oftentimes, due to physical activity, injury, or everyday stress, people experience vertebral or cranial subluxation. This basically means that the spine, cranium, or other structures move out of their proper positions and press on certain nerves, causing pain and other symptoms. Chiropractors use manipulation therapy to adjust the alignment of the spine, cranium, and skeletal system, which in turn, relieves the pressure and stress on the nervous system. Usually, as a result of these adjustments, painful symptoms are lessened or eliminated entirely.
Children are not immune to subluxation and, from birth, can experience misalignment that causes stress upon their still-developing nervous systems. During the stress of the birthing process, infants can experience cranial and spinal subluxations. The activities toddlers and children partake in later on in life can also affect skeletal alignment. For instance, toddlers learning to walk often fall, twisting their backs and legs in the process. Similarly, activities such as biking, jumping rope, and playing tag can cause a misalignment of the skeletal system.
This is not to suggest that any of those activities are wrong or bad, but the resulting subluxations might cause problems that could be corrected by chiropractic for children. Many times, symptoms of common childhood ailments, such as colic, asthma, sleep irregularities, and ear infections, are related to stress on a particular nerve bundle caused by a subluxation. By realigning the skeletal system, chiropractic for children can relieve the pressure on the nerve triggers and thus alleviate the root of the problem.
Many also believe that chiropractic for children not only helps improve overall body function and nerve system development but also increases and improves blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body. This, in turn, is said to improve brain function and development and boost the child’s natural immune system. The result is better mental clarity, increased learning ability, and decreased susceptibility to illness such as cold or flu.
Parents who have taken advantage of chiropractic for children report that their children have slept better, have exhibited improved behavior and mood, and have fewer colds and infections. The procedure used to adjust a child is gentle and nonpainful, and chiropractors typically use lighter touches than they would for adults. Although the risks of injury are minimal, any person seeking chiropractic for children should ensure that his or her chosen chiropractor is duly qualified, licensed, and has experience working with children.