Why would a baby or child need chiropractic? Short answer, birthing is hard on a baby and life is hard on our bodies! Whether you had a vaginal or c-section birth, the transition into this world is stressful for baby. During labor the uterus can exert 400 Newtons of pressure, which is about 89 pounds, on the baby to help push them out.

Birth itself is tough enough without even considering interventions. Going down the birth canal includes twisting, turning in the body as well as with the head and neck, not to mention all of the compression and pressure the baby feels.

Have you ever seen photos of a baby being born? The doctor typically will pull on the head to help guide the baby out. The brain stem and spinal cord are housed within the spine. Pulling on a babies head or neck can do some serious damage. Every 6 to 8 births out of 1000 have some type of birth trauma. (That’s not including possible musculoskeletal issues that can arise due to birthing.) That’s 28,000 a year!!

The 10 most common birth injuries include: Brachial Plexus Palsy (Erb’s Palsy), bone fractures, cephalohematoma, caput succedaneum, perinatal asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, subconjunctival hemorrhage, facial paralysis; spinal cord injuries; and cerebral palsy.

Older Kids

Toddlers trying to learn to walk, fall hundreds of times. Each time they fall, they cause stress to the spine. Also, introduction of computers, tablets and phones are getting younger, so posture of children is TERRIBLE!! Watch how your children sit, it can play a huge role in how their bones develop.(Including but not limited to: scoliosis, compression issues, text neck, rounded shoulders and anterior head carriage.)

Older kids fall due to jumping on things, tripping or just being kids! This stress can appear as digestive issues, crying, irritability, not sleeping well, sicknesses, temperature, ear aches, pain, bedwetting, scoliosis, any slew of things.

Chiropractic

Children grow at such a rapid pace, it’s important to keep their spines functioning properly. The best way I can prove to parents that their children need adjusted is to look at their leg lengths. I lay children on their stomachs and check to see if their legs are even. 99% of the time they need adjusted, because one leg is shorter than the other. It’s important to keep them (and adults!) balanced to grow properly.

With chiropractic care babies “get” soft tissue work. No “popping” is done. Many parents worry about what will happen during the visit, but baby chiropractic is very gentle! As the child gets older and their bones harden, then we start introducing mobilization techniques. This is where I love playing games with kids. We listen for popcorn, they answer questions while I adjust, they all LOVE it.

Try Chiropractic

Think of babies with colic, spitting up, trouble breathing, difficulty nursing, trouble sleeping or screaming. CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP!

My children have both had chiropractic care since they were born. They have never actually been to a medical doctor for any reason. Any fevers or problems they have had, we have treated with chiropractic. Maybe we have been lucky, but I attribute chiropractic to their health.

Everyone needs to be checked for issues in their spine. So find someone that you can ask questions to, that you trust. Have questions? Call us and set up a consult. We want to help make having a little one as “easy” as possible! Invest in your childs’ health, because you never replace it!

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, Inc.
El Reno, OK 73036