Chiropractic for Children

Do subluxations occur in children?

Yes, subluxations do occur in children and very often have little or no symptoms at this early stage. The birth process is very traumatic and can certainly cause enough pressure for a subluxation to occur. We have all heard of long deliveries, broken collar bones, breech deliveries, etc. Once, the child is born, children when learning to walk tumble and fall 150-200 times per day. When they are older, they play all sorts of games which cause all types of trauma and then before long they are involved in sports. What is really critical is that children have certain windows of development that are often only open for a short period of time. This is directed by the neural system which is actually the first system formed in development. If this neural system is being interfered with from subluxation you are limiting your child's potential. Our moms will claim their Chiropractic children are more expressive, have a better immune system, concentrate better!!! I know safety is an issue for you. An adjustment for a child is a tiny light pressure and the child can go on with his life. What if the subluxation left alone leads to curvature? Why do you think as adults we have such chronic problems in our spine? Children usually need fewer adjustments as they do not have the years of damage. What if you did not go to the dentist for 20, 30 years??? Also, please realize your pediatrician has no training in Chiropractic. By all means, he will address your medical concerns however you can not expect him to evaluate baby teeth or a subluxation. 

Childhood Earaches (acute otitis media)

What is otitis media?

It is a middle-ear inflammation, usually caused by an infection that blocks the Eustachian tube. The resulting pain is highly distressful to young children... and their parents.

Who suffers from it?

Otitis media is extremely common – seen most often in children 6 to 36 months of age. Up to one-third of the child population will have 6 or more episodes before starting school, and some can have up to 12 episodes in a year.

What should I be concerned about?

Every year in the United States, approximately 30 percent of children under age three receive antimicrobial (antibiotic) treatment for acute earache. In fact, treating earaches is the most common reason for outpatient use of antibiotics.

But scientific studies have shown little evidence of shorter duration of symptoms, fewer recurrences or better long-term outcomes for children given antibiotics for their acute otitis media than for those who did not receive the medication. Moreover, researchers have found that giving so many children so much antibiotic medication poses a serious risk to the youngsters and to their community. It promotes the emergence of strains of microbes that are resistant to the very antibiotics that are being used.

What can chiropractic do?

A chiropractic treatment plan featuring gentle adjustments and light neck massage appropriate for very young children, offers hope for comforting relief – without recourse to heavy use of antibiotics or surgery. Chiropractic upper-spine adjustments and massage of the tissue surrounding the ear can help clear the Eustachian tube blockage that causes otitis media. Dietary/nutritional guidance (such as testing for food sensitivities and vitamin deficiencies) may also be offered. The chiropractic approach is an alternative to traditional medical treatments that may be less effective and involve serious side effects

References

• Lamm L, Ginter L. Otitis Media: A conservative chiropractic management protocol. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic, March 1998; vol. 5, no. 1, pp18-28.
• Froom J, Culpepper L, Jacobs M, et al. Antimicrobials for acute otitis media? A review from the International Primary Care Network. British Medical Journal 1997, vol. 315, pp98-102.
• Fallon JM . The role of the chiropractic adjustment in the care and treatment of 322 children with otitis media. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Oct. 1997; vol. 2, no. 2, pp167-83.
• Neu HG. The crisis in antibiotic resistance. Science 1992, vol. 257, pp1036-1038.
• Kline MW, Otitis Media, in Oski, et al., Principles and practice of pediatrics, Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1990.
• Browning GG. Childhood otalgia: Acute otitis media. British Medical Journal, 1990, vol. 300, p1005.

Infantile Colic

What is colic?

Infantile colic was first described as indigestion. While different diagnostic criteria have emerged since then, there has never been complete agreement on what colic is, what causes it, or how to treat it. The most widely accepted definition of colic today is "unexplainable and uncontrollable crying in babies from 0 to 3 months old, more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for 3 weeks or more, usually in the afternoon and evening hours."

Who suffers from colic?

It has been widely estimated that between 8% and 49% of newborns suffer from colic, or an estimated average of 22% of all newborns who suffer from colic at some time. The condition is regarded as self-limiting, disappearing spontaneously at three months of age; however, studies have shown that many cases of colic will persist until six and even 12 months of age, causing considerable distress and frustration for both children and parents.

What are some of the symptoms of colic?

The most common symptom of colic is "excessive crying" -- more hours of crying and more stretches of crying per day than non-symptomatic children. The crying may also have a higher frequency/pitch than normal babies. Other possible symptoms include motor unrest (flexing of the knees against the abdomen, clenching of the fists, and extension or straightening of the trunk, legs and arms).

What can chiropractic do?

For years, chiropractors have cared for children with colic symptoms, and with apparently good results. In fact, the benefit of chiropractic for managing infantile colic was clearly illustrated in a recent study that compared the short-term effects of spinal manipulation vs. drug intervention (a drug called "dimethicone"). Results not only showed that chiropractic adjustments were effective in reducing colic symptoms, most notably the average hours per day spent crying, but also that the use of drugs was not particularly effective, and certainly less effective than chiropractic care. Your doctor of chiropractic can evaluate your child's condition and recommend the best approach for maximizing health and wellness.

References

• Wiberg JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The short-term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic: a randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded observer. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1999:22(8), pp517-522.
• Barr RG, Rotman A, Yaremko J, et al. The crying of infants with colic: a controlled empirical description. Pediatrics 1992:90, pp14-21.
• Rubin SP, Prendergast M. Infantile colic: incidence and treatment in a Norfolk community. Child Care Health Dev. 1984:10(4), pp219-226.
• Stahlberg MR. Infantile colic: occurrence and risk factors. European Journal of Pediatrics 1984:143, pp108-111.
• Parkin PC, Schwartz CJ, Manuel BA. Randomized controlled trial of three interventions in the management of persistent crying of infancy. Pediatrics 1993:92(2), pp197-201.
• Klougart N, Nilsson N, Jacobsen J. Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1989:12(4), pp281-88.
• Biedermann H. Kinematic imbalance due to suboccipital strain in newborns. Journal of Manual Medicine 1992:6, pp151-56.
• Nilsson N. Infantile colic and chiropractic. European Journal of Chiropractic 1985:33, pp264-65.
• Hewson P, Oberklaid F, Menahem S. Infant colic, distress and crying. Clin Pediatrics 1987:26(2), pp69-76.
• Moesgaard K, Rasmussen LR. Children in Danish chiropractic clinics: a descriptive questionnaire study. European Journal of Chiropractic 1989:37, pp117-124.