Chiropractic for Children

It is just as important for children to receive chiropractic care as it is for adults. 

Why is it important?

Children are at an age where they are constantly learning. They are always running, jumping, playing, falling and sitting. Children have the constant stress of everyday play. It is important to get children checked regularly for any misalignments in their spine. This is due to the fact that it is much easier to do a small correction in a young child than months of work on an adult who may have spent years or even decades compensating for misalignments they had as a child. Even minor trips and falls can unsettle the spine. The longer these misalignments are there in their spine as a child grows, the harder it is to correct them later. This is why we encourage parents to regularly have checks for their children. This is explained in more detail in the following article : https://www.precisionchiro.co.nz/chiropractic-for-kids/ 

They have the stress of the weight of carrying a heavy school bag. This weight causes the spine to not be able to move as well as it should and this affects how the nervous system functions. 

Any interference with the nervous system and how it functions, causes the communication between the brain and body via the nervous system may not be working as well as it should be. The ability of the brain to understand where the body is in space is called proprioception may be impaired due to this lack of communication. Poor proprioception can impact on the muscle control throughout the entire body, and may affect coordination, balance, hand-eye coordination, as well as muscle tone and posture. This will impact on the healthy and optimal function of the whole body.

The nervous system controls and coordinates every function in the body. This is why regular chiropractic care starting at birth can help children to grow up healthier and happier.

Some positive effects of Chiropractic care for children

1. Bedwetting: Chiropractic focuses on the brain and nervous system. Adjusting the spine at areas of interference allows a child’s spine to become healthy and strong which directly affects how the nervous system functions. In the spine there are nerves which directly affect the bladder. If there are any interferences here there can be problems with bladder control and bedwetting in children. However, through Chiropractic clearing these interferences, the brain can communicate better with the bladder.
2. Earaches: If there are any misalignments in a child’s spine, the nervous system is not able to work to its optimal. Any dysfunctions in the upper neck can cause a problem in the function of many aspects of the body such as the inner ear, causing it not to function the way it should. Chiropractic can help by removing the interference and allowing the nervous system to function better.
3. Anxiety: Chiropractic helps the body manage any stress that a person is going through. It can help children with anxiety as it helps the nervous system manage any extra stress the child is experiencing.
4. Behavioural issues: Behavioural problems are most commonly associated with the attention centre of the brain. Our brains have plasticity which means they are able to change and grow. The brain sends messages to the rest of the body through the spinal cord. If there are any misalignments between the two, the messages cannot be sent as clearly. Chiropractors remove these misalignments which causes the communication to return between the brain and body. This means the spine will return to proper alignment which allows for better function of all parts of the body, especially the brain. This includes the parts of the brain that are responsible for impulses, reasoning, activity and much more. Chiropractic allows for optimal function of the brain and body which leads to proper brain development and better behaviour in children.
5. Sleep: All humans have two sides to their nervous system, a stressed and a rested state. The body should be able to. Go between the 2 as needed. However sometimes children are constantly in a stressed state due to their lifestyle. Chiropractic helps this by calming the nervous system down so it can regulate the stress coming in. This allows for a better sleep in children.
6. Falls: It is common for children to fall. It is easy to tell if your child has a major injury, however it is impossible to tell if they have a minor injury. Minor injuries such as, tripping or falling, or some other accident can cause micro trauma. Unfortunately, over time these micro traumas can lead to subluxations, which increase the chances of long-term health issues. When it comes to treating misalignments or subluxations, chiropractors are experts in locating and correcting them.
7. Poor posture: When children develop a habit of having poor posture, the effects can be long-lasting. Back and neck pain is only one effect of the problem. Poor posture can also cause the spinal cord to change shape, which can create chronic pain and affect balance. This can all appear in adulthood rather than as children. This is why we encourage parents to have checks and adjustments for their children rather than waiting until becoming older and feeling pain. Poor posture also has an effect on the rest of the body. Sitting for extended periods of time with poor posture compresses the digestive organs, which has a negative effect on the digestive system.

In conclusion, it is important to check children while they are young rather than when they are older. Children face many stresses in life and Chiropractic helps them manage these stresses.