Pediatric chiropractic

Healthy children

As a concerned parent, you no doubt wonder if your child is as healthy as possible. Now more than ever before, parents are searching for proactive lifestyle habits that will nurture their children’s health. Chiropractic awareness is shifting from being an intervention not only for pain-relief, but for a more proactive, wellness-oriented healthcare choice. Without discrediting the amazing role chiropractic plays in the alleviation of back pain, our society has generally come to understand chiropractic as simply a means of back pain relief for adults and the elderly. As a result, so many are unaware of the far-reaching benefits of chiropractic care and what incorporating it regularly into their lifestyle can mean for their body’s overall picture of health and vitality. Our little ones are no exception!

Many factors contribute to your child’s overall health. A major component is the communication between your child’s brain and body, a vital link controlling the growth, repair, and function of every tissue and organ in the body. Diet, exercise, rest, and emotional and spiritual support are other important factors. Chiropractic recognizes the importance of each of these factors as they contribute to your child’s health. Your child’s health is their greatest asset. Children’s bodies can respond quickly, becoming strong, interactive, and healthy. It is up to you and your child and we are here to help!

Pediatric chiropractic care is revolutionizing the way we impact children’s health and development.

If you’ve found us, you’re probably wondering two things:

First, can Pediatric Chiropractic care help my child? And secondly, how does it even work? Well you are not alone! Lots of moms, dads, and caregivers are looking for hope and answers, backed by science that will help them with certain stressors and ailments  our kids and families are confronted with.

Top 10 reasons that parents bring their infants and children in to check their spinal health:

  • To maximize their child’s brain and nerve development (Wellness)
  • To help with sensory processing problems
  • To strengthen immunity and reduce the incidence of colds, earaches, and general illness
  • To help with colic and Irritable Baby Syndrome
  • To help with asthma, breathing difficulties, and allergies
  • To improve spinal posture, crawling abnormalities, and latching/suckling issues in breastfeeding
  • To improve their child’s ability to concentrate
  • To assist with behavioral disorders and offer greater emotional well-being
  • To help alleviate bed wetting and digestive problems
  • To assist with sleep issues

Common Childhood Trauma Can Affect the Spine

Although bumps, falls and wrestling matches are often what comes to mind with our kids when we think of physical stress, actual physical stressors start much earlier. Most commonly, research finds stressors to children’s’ health as starting as early as during the prenatal or birth process.

In addition to physical stressors, our kids live in a busier, more complex generation than we did. Schedules are packed, social media is everywhere, and food quality isn’t what it used to be. Simply put, we have more coming from every direction, and all combined, it can be overwhelming!

The more ‘stressors’ that build up, the harder it is for our bodies to adapt and overcome, leaving our kids’ nervous system to get stuck on the gas pedal.

Chiropractic treatments are adapted to the frame and developmental stages of children. Chiropractic adjustments for young children’s spine and peripheral joints are often performed using only the fingertips, with very light pressure. Chiropractic care is safe for children and does not involve any painful or uncomfortable treatments.

Because we are an evidence-based practice, we encourage you to read the research showing how chiropractic care can help your child. Our goal is to help you be as informed as possible so that you can make an educated decision about your child’s health.

For more information on research related to chiropractic care for newborns, infants, and children, please visit: icpa4kids.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are more parents bringing their children to a chiropractor?
It would be so nice if our little ones could perfectly verbalize their complaints or discomfort to us. Even though that’s not the case, their bodies are doing the talking for them. It just takes a skilled chiropractor with experience and training in working with children to interpret these signals of nervous system distress and correct it naturally, without the use of medication or surgery.
Why should your child begin care with Dr. J?

Dr. J is very passionate about chiropractic care for children. We know that sick children become sick adults, and healthy children become healthy adults. Our mission at Empower Family Chiropractic is to help raise healthy children, free of medications and surgical interventions whenever possible.

  • Dr. Norbert is a professional member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Because of this training and experience, she can help children experience the benefits of chiropractic care using analysis and technique that are safe, gentle, and specific for pediatric patients that are different from those used for adults.
  • For mothers who were under chiropractic care with us during their pregnancy, we also offer a special gift of providing your baby’s first spinal evaluation and adjustment free of charge. The impact of pediatric care is truly that important to us!
  • Your child’s spine grows almost 50% in length during that first year. It’s this kind of tremendous growth and developmental change which makes a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of your child’s life.
  • Studies have shown that newborn infants often enter the world with spinal strain and stress due to the birth process.
  • A baby’s spine is very supple during the first few months of life and the doctor applies only a slight pressure to make spinal adjustments.
  • Under normal circumstances, pediatric chiropractic adjustments are painless and will not hurt your child.
  • Dr. Norbert values working closely with your child’s pediatrician for complete, collaborative care.
What Can I Expect? - The Pediatric Course of Care

Usually, when you think of how an adult’s spine is adjusted, it’s hard to fathom that chiropractic care is safe or even possible for infants and small children. Rest assured, different adjusting techniques and exam procedures are called for when it comes to the care of the delicate pediatric spine.

In the exam, the findings Dr. J looks for in a child differ from adults and are based on their age, since appropriate reflexes and developmental / structural milestones in babies vary even from month to month.

With the adjustment, a light fingertip pressure gentle enough to pierce a tomato is used. Sometimes a small, hand-held instrument called an activator can be used. At no point is powerful thrusting or twisting used on an infant nor is it common for a “popping” sound to be heard with these light adjustments. Their developing spines move so fluidly with the lightest of pressure. For this very reason, a baby’s body often responds far more quickly to chiropractic care than the adult spine!

What is the success rate / safety of Chiropractic care for children?

The journal, Explore, recently published a revealing study investigating both the health benefits and risk of side effects in children who were treated by a pediatric chiropractor. Of the 812 pediatric cases reviewed, 717 reported improvement or resolution of their primary complaint following chiropractic care while only 9 reported aggravations related to treatment. These were described as “soreness” or “fussiness”. In addition, 74 of the cases reported improvement in areas unrelated to their primary complaints such as quality of sleep, mood, immune function, and range of motion. Read more.

Doctors of chiropractic have been providing proactive, drug-free family healthcare to children and adults for over 100 years. However, chiropractic care for children is becoming increasingly popular.

This shift in awareness has been due to the advanced educational standards of chiropractors today, the expanding body of research supporting the efficacy and safety of chiropractic, and the high public demand for chiropractic care.

Do I need a referral from my child’s Pediatrician?

Today, physicians and chiropractors generally take a team approach toward patient management. It’s important to know that a referral to a chiropractor by another physician is not mandatory in order for your child to seek chiropractic care. However, it is always a good habit to keep all health care providers involved in your child’s care informed of all methods of care your child is receiving.

I encourage all of my patients to communicate their child’s chiropractic care to their pediatrician, if their pediatrician wasn’t the source of the suggestion to begin with! I firmly believe and educate my patients that the best approach to health and the ability to address the concerns and needs of each individual is a multi-factorial approach and a team effort. The individual skills of one practitioner alone may be limited, so I place high importance on developing referral relationships with other practitioners combining our expertise and knowledge, all for the benefit of my patients achieving their health goals and answers/solutions to their health concerns.

Is there special training needed to be a Pediatric Chiropractor?

Not every chiropractor is built the same. Like any profession, chiropractors and the style we choose to practice will vary, but the overall goal of health and optimal functioning for our patients is the same. In our four-year doctoral program, we all receive general training on caring for the pediatric spine and their health issues. However, some chiropractors have gone above and beyond in post-graduate specialty certifications and continuing education to make us particular experts on pediatric care, from how we analyze and adjust their spines, to the nutritional, postural, and overall lifestyle recommendations we are able to provide.

How do you know if your chiropractor is well-trained in the care of your little one?
A great place to start is looking for your local pediatric chiropractor on directory listings with the International Chiropractic Association (ICPA) or the International Chiropractic Association (ICA), Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics. These associations provide chiropractors with 200+ hours of additional expertise training for pediatric and pregnancy care. Final certification is also determined by participation in research studies and board-certified testing. Outside of certifications, word of mouth in the community is always a great way to know if a chiropractor has chosen to build a family-based practice and frequently works with children.

Want to schedule a session? Have some questions for us?

Complete the short form on this page, or connect with us on the Contact Us page.

    We promise to send you smart information, and not too often.

“The preservation of health is easier than the cure of disease.”

~ B.J. Palmer

Follow us on social media to learn about the benefits of chiropractic medicine.