Children’s early lives are full of growth and change. This is evident more in their physical bodies than anything else! From the time they’re toddlers, crawling around on your floors, they experience knocks, falls, and bumps.
No matter how much you may protect them, growing bodies change and react to the things they experience. A chiropractor can help your child safely navigate these crucial first years of life.
Infant Care
A child’s spine can be one of the most important parts in terms of development.
Some chiropractors treat children promptly after birth, as a typical birth can put extreme stress on an infant’s spine and cause immediate issues. Specialists use very low-pressure adjustments to gently guide a baby’s spine and neck into healthy positions.
Toddler and Elementary-Age Care
Once your baby has undergone a handful of years of growth, other factors present themselves. Things like the daily wearing of a heavy backpack can throw off the alignment of a school child’s spine. This can lead to scoliosis or subluxations, which we’ll cover soon.
Use of technology is a huge contributor to spine problems and broader alignment issues. Most of us spend hours each day hunched over a computer or leaning over our phones, looking down. This can create bends in our necks and spines that can become permanent problems if not identified and corrected.
Children are using mobile phones and tablets more than they’re playing outside, and their bodies are showing it. Chiropractic adjustments can remedy these issues. An experienced chiropractor can also provide your child with tips on how to hold and position their technology to promote good posture.
Pre-Teen Care
A child who does play sports should be cognizant of sports injuries, even at recreational levels. Sports provide great exercise, which can help with posture, fitness, and general well-being. Chiropractic care is a great tool to keep your kids feeling fit for sports, or to help recover from kicks, falls – even broken bones.
Dr. Jeff Ludwick of Pennsylvania emphasises these points. He explains the misalignments, or subluxations, that can lead to more serious issues.
“Subluxations can put pressure on the child’s nervous system. When the nerve isn’t functioning correctly, it can result in symptoms related to organs, muscles and various systems of the body. Symptoms such as colic, asthma, ear infections, stomach ache, bedwetting, poor posture, hyperactivity and frequent colds or flu might be evidence of subluxations.
Through safe and gentle adjustments, a chiropractor can realign the child’s spine with specific contacts, reducing the pressure on the nervous system, allowing the body to heal and reduce symptoms.”
He compares chiropractic care to dentistry. A dentist can not only help fix issues, but provide valuable preventative care to keep healthy children healthy.
Cost vs. Benefits
Cost may be a factor in the minds of parents who hesitate to seek out pediatric chiropractic care. The aforementioned Dr. Ludwick helps to quell some of these fears, saying it can indeed be cost effective for families. If issues aren’t obvious, an X-ray may be required at the initial evaluation to pinpoint the chiropractor’s focus, which could change the cost of this appointment.
Some insurance plans cover the typical adjustments that follow – this depends on the presence of any existing medical diagnosis and the necessity of the treatment. If you have any questions on whether your insurance will cover our services or how much it may cost, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Continued chiropractic appointments can see a child’s overall nervous system benefit, decreasing the risk for many common issues. Breaking into the pocketbook for these appointments could prevent the need for more serious medical intervention later on.
Keep your child healthy by considering a chiropractor soon!
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