Do Kids Need Chiropractic Adjustments?
Life’s most critical period of growth occurs before the age of 18. Children at various times have growth spurts and the changes that occur are internal and external. Many children become more active as they get older. The first trauma a person experiences is during the birth process (even during a vaginal delivery!) and then from there, they experience many bumps and bruises throughout life. These can include falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and many more. When a child is developing they start with lifting their head which puts stress on the neck and has an effect on the cervical spine. The next step in child development is rolling over and crawling. This activity put stress on the upper and middle back or also called the thoracic spine. When the child begins to walk they end up falling repeatedly, jarring the low back and pelvis. It is important to have your child adjusted during these pivotal growth moments in their life. Having your child adjusted keeps them moving and developing in an efficient manner and helps keep them pain-free and healthy.
A child who receives chiropractic care is a healthier individual because they are aware of their health and have a healthy diet. Having a child adjusted helps keeps the immune system functioning at its optimum – this is because the nervous system is not being interfered with and the signals are able to get through. When the spine becomes misaligned these signals may not be able to get through which could cause a decrease in the immune system causing a child to get sick more easily. Children who are adjusted on a regular base have fewer colds, ear infections, and allergies compared to children who don’t get adjusted.
Sports, especially contact sports, like football, soccer, hockey, or lacrosse can cause back or neck pain for children. Heading the ball when playing soccer, sliding into the boards head first in hockey, and being hit by the ball or by other players in baseball can all cause misalignments in a child’s spine. Chiropractors can make the most difference the earlier they treat a child who has injured their neck or back.
Children can suffer from neck and low back pain if their backpacks are worn improperly or if they are carrying too much weight for their body size. If a child is going to carry a backpack it is very important that it fits properly. Making sure the straps are even on both sides and the bottom of the backpack sits at the base of the low back. If the backpack does not fit properly the child may complain of back pain as well as neck pain due to the weight of the backpack.
