Chiropractic Care for Babies & Toddlers
Chiropractic care isn't just for adults; it's incredibly beneficial for children too. Today’s kids face many more challenges than those from 20 to 25 years ago, making chiropractic care even more important for their health and development.
Why Chiropractic Care for our Kids?
Many parents seek chiropractic care for their children because many spinal problems seen in adults actually begin at birth. Even a smooth, uncomplicated birth will put a lot of stress on both mother and baby. The journey through the birth canal or a caesarean delivery can cause imbalances in a baby's spine, which can stress their nervous system.
Chiropractors are experts in checking for spinal misalignments (subluxations) that can affect nerve function and overall health and wellbeing. Subluxations can disrupt the nerves' ability to transmit vital information from the brain to the body, and vice versa and therefore interfere with them the body to thrive.
Issues like colic, breathing problems, developmental delays, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions, and chronic infections can often be linked to stress on the nervous system caused by subluxations. That’s why many parents choose to have their newborns checked by a chiropractor.
The Rapid Development of the Child’s Brain
A child’s brain develops rapidly in the first five years. Babies are born with all the neurons they’ll ever have, their brain doubles in size within the first year, reaches 80% of its adult capacity by age three, and is 90% developed by age five. As children grow and reach milestones like holding up their head, sitting, crawling, and walking, these activities affect and are affected by spinal alignment. These milestones are crucial times for a child to be evaluated by a chiropractor.
Gentle Chiropractic Techniques for Kids
Chiropractic adjustments for children are specially adapted to their size, weight, and stage of spinal development. These adjustments are gentle and precise, using hands, instruments, or soft blocks. For infants, the adjustments are extremely gentle, involving light finger pressure similar to checking the ripeness of a fruit.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Kids
Many parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to their visits. They also notice that their children experience better overall health with regular chiropractic care.
Choosing the Right Chiropractor
Not all chiropractors specialize in paediatric care. At ChiroVibe Michael Lezuo tries to further his knowledge by having attended regular seminars and being a member of the ICPA (International Chiropractic Paediatric Association).
Chiropractic should play a vital role in your child’s health and development, ensuring their nervous system functions optimally as they grow.