A baby’s spine, with few exceptions, usually develops perfectly by the end of pregnancy.  It is the stress placed upon a baby's head, delicate spine and nervous system during the birth process that can often cause spinal dysfunction and nervous system interference.  Spinal segments can be jammed by the position of the baby in the womb or on their journey through the birth canal, or from the birth process itself.  Medical research has identified the fact that many problems early in a child's life can come from birth trauma.   

As your child grows and develops they often fall and bump themselves which can alter spinal function and thus nervous system function. The spinal degeneration and problems that adults often encounter may begin in childhood.  Like tooth decay, it can be slowed down or possibly prevented. 

How can parents recognise childhood spinal problems?

Unless a child has an obvious problem, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has  a problem with their spine/nervous system.  It is not always easy for someone other than a chiropractor, highly trained in evaluating the spine and nervous system, to determine if the child has a problem, just as it is difficult for someone other than a dentist to determine if a child has any cavities. Both cases take the skills of a trained specialist to perform a thorough evaluation.  

There are some signs however which parents may look for which can be an indicator of a child with a spinal problem. Common indicators of spinal problems may include the child's head consistently being tilted to one side, restricted head or neck motion to one side, disturbed sleeping patterns, the infant may have difficulty feeding at the breast on one particular side.

How are children treated?

After a thorough history is taken, the first thing your chiropractor will do is conduct a careful and thorough evaluation of your child's spine. Most chiropractors are trained to evaluate paediatric spinal problems and will use gentle, specific skills to identify and evaluate what is going on.  This will involve posture assessment, range of motion, orthopaedic and neurological tests and spinal assessment.   

Chiropractors modify their techniques to suit children of all ages. Chiropractic care for children is extremely gentle and an instrument called an 'Activator' is often used to perform an adjustment to the spine.  Children generally respond quickly because they heal rapidly and haven't yet developed long term altered movement patterns and spinal degeneration.

Six common health problems your child may suffer from and how chiropractic care may help to overcome them.

             1. Colic and sleepless nights

             2. Asthma or other breathing difficulties

3. Bedwetting at night

4. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and other behavioral challenges

5. Ear infections or tonsillitis

6. Bad posture 

Here are some of the results from published scientific journal articles:Researchers in Denmark found up to 94% effectiveness in babies suffering from colic In the USA, researchers found up to 93% reduction in the severity of ear infections

There are also reports of:

-Children breathing easier and experiencing up to 87% decrease in asthma symptoms

-Up to 50% more drier nights in children with bedwetting

-Up to 50% decrease in ADD 

All of these  results have been achieved  naturally and safely without the use of potentially harmful drugs or surgery.