Why should I take my child to the Chiropractor?
As we attempt to recount the number of times we fell as children it quickly becomes a laughable matter. But fall from bikes, trees and swings are not nearly the first traumas we encounter. Having your child checked for vertebral subluxation by a chiropractor is critical in order to achieve excellent health as an adult.
As a pediatric chiropractor, we check spines in their first week of existence. “Why,” some may ask? The passage through the birth canal is the first potential source of neck and upper extremity trauma for the newborn. Add in the usage of medical instruments such as forceps or vacuum and you have the perfect scenario for a cervical (neck) subluxation.
The traumas however do not stop there. Long before we’ve laced up the hockey skates or tumbled from a human pyramid, the spine is forced to go through much more than is has had to historically. Modern inventions such as the convertible car seat and Bumbo Chair have forced the developing spine to mature earlier than it is designed. By weight bearing in our first few weeks or months, we’ve altered our spinal architecture which is a great reason to have your child checked by a chiropractor.
The spinal column
The spinal column protects the spinal cord and the nerves that carry all of the signals from the brain to the rest of the developing child. Without question, every single child falls many times on his bum when learning to stand, cruise and walk. These repeated falls can alter the spinal positioning relative to the pelvis, resulting in what we call a spinal subluxation. These subluxations resultantly interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate to the rest of the body, leading to childhood dysfunction. If these subluxations are not accounted for and corrected early on, they can lead to many issues down the road. As a parent myself, I know that the most important thing I prioritize is the health and longevity of my kids. This is why they get checked by their dad regularly.
Communication
Children are not generally great at describing what is going on with their bodies. Until we are 2+ years old, we really can’t communicate much of anything other than we’re hungry, tired or that our diaper is full. But what if the baby is trying to express that she has a sore neck or headache from one of her falls? How would a parent know the difference? A chiropractor who is trained in pediatric adjusting can tell you definitively what and where the problem is, and best of all can provide a solution right then and there with a gentle spinal adjustment.
So if you have a child, and your child has a spinal column protecting his or her nervous system, and that child has spent time in a car seat, or has learned to sit up or stand alone, or has played hard on the climber at school or has learned to skate or ski, then the chances are extremely high that their spine has taken some punishment. I would highly encourage you to have your child check for vertebral subluxation, and allow them to grow to be the best possible version of themselves.
We hope that this blog has helped you understand the approach that we take at ReAlign Natural Health Clinic. We have been proudly serving the children of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Ayr, Paris, Puslinch, Waterdown, Brantford, Baden, New Hamburg and more since 2007.
Also, see our blog Helping Families in Cambridge Stay Healthy, check out ReAlign Health.