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The chiropractic approach to health care is natural. It does not try to stimulate or inhibit normal body function. Instead, the chiropractor addresses the important relationship between the nervous system and disease. The systemic effect of vertebral subluxations is complex. Many childhood illnesses may be manifested in the pediatric patient due to abnormal body function caused by subluxations. In light of this, your chiropractor may be the best doctor to help your child.
Children should be checked frequently for subluxations to ensure good health.
Newborn infants should be checked within hours after birth. The birth process, even under natural and controlled conditions, is potentially traumatic.' During the pushing stage of labor, the spine, particularly the neck, may be injured as the baby is compressed and pushed down the birth canal. The most frequent subluxation experienced by newborns results from the pulling, twisting, and compression of the infant's spine during birth.
Although birth subluxations may cause immediate symptoms, such as respiratory depression, there may be far-reaching effects that are manifested for years. The child's ability to fight against disease, for example, may be lowered. Colds, ear infections, colic, and other illnesses may result.
Subluxations may also interfere with internal organ function, resulting in the inability to produce chemicals responsible for raising and lowering body temperature as needed! Research has also indicated that the body's immune response in the production of antiviral and anti-bacterial agents to fight infection is greatly compromised due to vertebral lesions subluxations.
Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care or children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies conducted by researchers in Germany, Australia, Denmark and the United States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic for a variety of childhood illnesses. The scientific evidence is growing every day.
You do everything right to ensure your baby's health. During pregnancy, you eat right, avoid drugs, and take childbirth classes. After the baby arrives, you do everything you can to make sure your baby is healthy. Don't forget your baby's first chiropractic spinal checkup to ensure a healthier baby with a higher resistance to disease and a heathier nervous system.
Sadly, some newborns have unhealthy spines:
The birth process is potentially a traumatic, crippling event. Mechanical stress imposed by obstetrical manipulation, even the application of standard orthodox proceedures may prove intolerable to the fetus. Most signs of neonatal injury observed in the delivery room are neurological. 1
With the birth process becoming more and more an intervening proceedure, the chiropractic adjustment becomes even more important to the child's future. 2
Of a random group of 1,250 babies examined 5 days after birth, 211 suffered from vomiting, hyperactivity and sleeplessness. Spinal abnormalities were found in 95% of this group. Spinal adjustment frequently resulted in immediate quieting, cessation of crying, muscular relaxation and sleepiness. An unhealthy spine causes many clinical features from central motor impairment to lower resistance to infections, especially ear, nose and throat infections. 3
For over one hundred years, doctors of chiropractic have observed often dramatic responses from some infants after a chiropractic spinal adjustment.
According to a recent study of children between the ages of 27 days and five years old, chiropractic adjustments can, depending on the severity of the condition, resolve otitis media in a relatively short time.3
Research shows that upper respiratory infections (URIs), including otitis media, may be caused by improper drainage of the deep neck lymphatics., In these cases, a doctor looking in your child's ear will see a buildup of fluid behind the tympanic membrane (ear drum), with the inside of the ear appearing inflamed and the ear drum bulging.
A popular medical method of medical treatment of otitis media is prescription of oral antibiotics, usually amoxicillin. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (December 1991), however, amoxicillin with and without decongestant-antihistamine combination is not effective for the treatment of persistent asymptomatic middle-ear effusions (fluid) in infants and children.' In fact, after administration of amoxicillin, occurrence of fluid in the ear was two to six times greater.
As a parent of a child with recurring ear problems, you may have experienced this research firsthand.
The most recent model suggests that reduced drainage or blockage in the drainage system of the cervical (neck) lymphatic chains causes a reduction in the lymphatic outflow from the eustachian tube. This allows fluid to build up in the inner ear, making it an inviting environment for bacteria and viruses. Improper drainage of this fluid is caused by a combination of events. Increased muscle tone or muscle spasms, coupled with a child's already small drainage system, appear to be the major factors.
Instead of treatment that tries to kill the bacteria or virus, a more natural approach would be to restore normal drainage of the ears and neck lymphatics.
Colic is a term used to describe a seemingly health baby who cries persistently and often violently for no apparent reason. This distressed behavior is believed to be a reaction to pain.
Medical studies have proven that chiropractic treatment on infants with colic has proven to be a more effective treatment for the condition than using drug therapy. Avoiding dairy products, like cows milk has been shown to be effective, but chiropractic may be a better solution.4
Infantile colic can be as troublesome for the parent as the child experiencing the condition. Characterized by a multitude of symptoms, the child suffering from infantile colic does not usually respond to simple comforting methods and exhibits periodic fussiness that can last over hours or days.
In many cases the infant appears to be in pain and will pull up his/her legs. At times the child's abdomen will be hard and distended. Occasionally the passage of flatus will give relief, yet these attacks may last for hours. To make matters more complicated, this condition rarely responds to traditional health care. This leaves many parents troubled as an infant's episodes of crying and fussiness persist.
Two chiropractic studies relating to infantile colic are of particular interest. The first study was done by a group of Danish chiropractors who revealed positive results when spinal adjustments were given to a group of colicky infants. A second study involving a group of 316 infants diagnosed with colic reported 94% successful resolution within the first two weeks of chiropractic care.
Although chiropractic care does not treat the symptoms of colic specifically, Doctors of chiropractic have found after adjusting hundreds of' babies that most will respond within the first few weeks. Why does chiropractic work when other methods fail? It's simple really.
Nerve supply is vital to the proper function of every system of the body, including the stomach, intestines, and other abdominal organs. Any vertebral subluxation causing interference to the nerves in this area could adversely affect gastric function and result in discomfort, gas and other colic symptoms.
As the infant with colic responds to chiropractic care, parents usually note that the child sleeps for longer periods without fussing, and requires less comforting.' As a parent you can do your part to help your child by keeping your child's appointments, and following your Doctor of Chiropractic's instructions. Remember, healing takes time. Chiropractic is a natural science in that it neither stimulates nor inhibits body function, but instead gradually allows normal body function to take place once again.
As chiropractic helps to restore normal function in your child's nervous systern, your infant's digestive tract and other related organs have a better opportunity to receive LIFE (nerve supply) from the brain, bringing it back to full normal potential. The result is a content baby and a happier you.
It is estimated that as many as 5 million children in the United States alone are afflicted with attention deficit disorders in varying degrees. Symptoms often cluster with hyperactivity to include lack of concentration, short attention span, impulsivity, fidgetiness, low frustration tolerance, difficulty with compliance, and poor social interaction.
Traditional methods of medical intervention are aimed at turning down the child's level of activity through the use of drugs. Years ago it was discovered that children react to stimulating drugs, such as Ritalin and amphetamines, in an opposite manner from adults. Nowadays, children and young teenagers are commonly placed on these drugs for years to suppress their activity level.
Unfortunately, this response is not without drawbacks. The known side effects of these drugs include nervousness, insomnia, stomachache, and skin rashes. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, leading to weight loss, and accelerated heart beat. Perhaps the most serious side effect in controlling behavior with drugs, however, is that it can become a psychological crutch. Some children become very drug dependent and experience episodes of anxiety if dosage is changed or terminated.
Dr. Ben Feingold, M.D., a renowned pediatrician and allergist, stated "I believe these medications should be used only as a last resort when everything else... certainly including diet.. has been tried and has failed. Far too often, drugs are prescribed as a first measure.
All body functions are controlled by the brain sending and receiving messages over nerves. Vertebrae (the bones in your back) fit together so that the LIFE (nerve supply) produced in your brain may filter down your spinal cord and out over your nerves. This LIFE is responsible for growth, repair, and healing in your entire body. When vertebrae are out of their natural alignment, nerves become stretched or twisted (commonly referred to as a nerve "pinch"), and this vital communication system in the body is disrupted.
This neurological disturbance is called a subluxation. and can be very irritating for any child. "Just as the child is irritating his teacher or parent with the symptoms of hyperactivity, so is his nervous system irritating him. We especially find subluxations at the top of the spine in this type of child."4 The Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in the detection and correction of subluxations. This is done by adjusting the vertebrae, gently, into their natural position. This process may take weeks or months, depending on the amount of misalignment. LIFE may then be restored throughout the body, and healing can take place. As your body heals, the symptoms begin to diminish. When vertebral subluxations disrupt this vital communication system, one or more parts of the body may begin to fail, as well as health in general. That's how vertebral subluxations can lead to all kinds of neurological, emotional and physical disorders, and that's why chiropractors are concerned with restoring normal body function.
Doctors of Chiropractic have reported success with attention deficit disorders for years, and this has been supported by recent studies on the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments. In one study, chiropractic care was more effective in treating the wide range of symptoms common in a neurological dysfunction syndrome in which 13 symptom problem areas were considered.' The statistics showed that chiropractic care was 20 to 40 percent more effective than commonly used medications. Another study suggested an overall improvement in seven hyperactive children who had received specific chiropractic care.
If children with serious attention deficit disorders can benefit from chiropractic care with improved attention span, lower activity level, and general well being--it's reasonable to assume that even the average child would benefit, with improved health and well-being. By having subluxations corrected throughout childhood, your child will have a better opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
Nearly 40 million Americans--that's 25% of the total population--suffer from asthma and other allergy diseases. In an asthma attack, children and adults respond similarly, with severe congestion, swelling, and other allergic type reactions in response to various irritants. As the reaction progresses, breathing becomes more difficult and in some cases life-threat ening. The bronchioles swell with mucous and go into spasm. This closes the airways and causes the asthmatic to wheeze and gasp for air.
Although the traditional methods for controlling asthma and allergies are numerous, sickness and death from asthma appear to be increasing. As stated in The New England Journal of Medicine in February of 1992, this trend is at least partially due to side effects from regular use of asthma inhaled medications.
In a recent study, children with asthma showed an overall improvement in the lung capacity after only 15 chiropractic adjustments." Other findings documenting abnormal spinal mechanics associated with asthma were preformed by the famous osteopathic researcher Alan Stoddard. Stoddard stated that many diseases are due to mechanical lesions (vertebral subluxations). There is ample research documenting the intimate connection between the spinal column, the nervous system, and the respiratory system. Vertebral subluxations in the neck and upper back can produce associated muscles spasms, which cause a restriction and stasis of the lymphatic drainage from the head and neck. As a result, the body is unable to wash out the bacteria, debris, and foreign material to which it is exposed. As this vital process is slowed, the phagocytic activity within the lymphatic chain (drainage of waste, bacteria, etc.) is interrupted, and invasion of the offending bacteria multiplies. Chiropractic adjustments in many cases will produce immediate relaxation of the neck musculature responsible for obstructing the lymphatic (neck) drainage.
These adjustments improve respiratory function by restoring normal nerve function, which in turn may result in symptomatic improvement in bronchitis and In several studies researchers found spinal adjustments to induce respiratory function and chest mobility superior to that produced through conventional medical bronchodilators, expectorants, and corticosteroids. Various symptoms of abnormal respiratory function may improve clinically with chiropractic adjustments.
The primary muscle for breathing is the diaphragm. It is actually composed of two muscles, the left and right hemidiaphragms, which separate the chest and abdominal cavities. The phrenic nerve (C3, C4, CS - neck nerves) powers the diaphragm. If the nerve supply is interfered with, such as in a subluxation in the neck, the diaphragm weakens and breathing becomes impaired. Additional muscles, such as the sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, scalene, and pectorals, operate to assist the diaphragm during a period of increased breathing effort, such as during exercise or severe respiratory illness. All of these muscles must have nerve supply to work. Subluxations interfering with normal nerve supply can cause muscular imbalances leading to a weaker respiratory tract. Restoring nerve supply by correcting vertebral subluxations not only improves muscle tone, but actually aids in overall body function, especially in the immune response.
Asthma Study on Benefits of Chiropractic
Backpacks for Children Questioned
Birth Trauma & Chiropractic
Chiropractic Helps in Prevention of Recurring Ear Infections
ADHD: A profitable diagnosis
Chiropractic and Bedwetting
Chiropractic and Colic
1 Towbin, A. Latent spinal cord and brain stem injury in newborn infants. Develop. Med. Child Neurol., 1969, 11. pp. 54-68.
2 Webster, L. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter, May 1990, p. 1.
3 Gutman, G. Blocked atlantal nerve syndrome in babies and infants. Manuelle Medizin, 1987, 25, pp. 5-10 and Gilles et al., Infantile alantoocciptal instability, Am J Dis Child, 1979, 133, pp 30-37.
3 Fallon JM. The Role of the Chiropractic Adjustment in the Care and Treatment of 332 Children with Otitis Media. Journal of Chiropractic Pediatrics, Oct. 1997; 2(2) pp 167-183.
4 For the Love of Children, Dr. Louis R Briegel, II & Stacey Stefanski.
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