Kids need chiropractic. Think this is crazy? You’re not alone, but that also means that you, like many people, are under the impression that chiropractic adjustments are only for adults with back pain. Though it certainly helps people with back conditions, chiropractic is so much more. As a matter of fact, 30 years ago, it cured me of my severe asthma. Now, all three of my children have been getting adjusted by a chiropractor since they were born.
Here, Dr. Paul Hernandez, D.C., explains the
top 10 reasons
why a child can benefit from chiropractic
Photo Credit: Chandler Chiropractic
Chiropractors are most commonly known for helping people with back or with neck pain. The reality is that chiropractic is key to overall health and wellness, as the entire basis of it centers around the central nervous system, which controls every aspect of the human body. Chiropractors specialize in restoring function and balance to the spine and nervous system and in turn this allows the body to function at its optimal levels, or in state of “ease.” Without the care that a chiropractor provides, the body is stuck functioning at a lower level, and when presented with the stresses of daily life; slips or falls, accidents or injuries, work or home stress, the nervous system simply cannot keep up and this leads to dysfunction and symptoms, or a state of “dis-ease.”
While the best reason to take a child to see a chiropractor is prevention before any problems present themselves, there are many other reasons why a child should be checked by a chiropractor.
Chiropractic adjustments…
heal any existing trauma from the birth process.
The birth process can be traumatic for both the mother and child. Many problems in the spine of children can be traced back to this initial trauma the same way some women know certain back problems didn’t start until after giving birth as well.
help babies to latch properly when they have trouble doing it on their own.
Many babies have trouble latching or nursing and this could be related to a problem in the spine. Specifically, neck problems that don’t allow for proper rotation or movement which restricts the baby’s ability to latch on.
help babies with colic.
Babies who suffer from colic have shown improvement while under chiropractic care. This could be due to the fact that chiropractic adjustments stimulate the natural healing process of the body to allow the body to heal itself. It could also be due to the fact that the chiropractic adjustment has a calming and relaxing effect.
help with injuries related to falls.
Between the ages of birth and 5 years old, a child will fall on average 5,000 times. Any one of those falls could affect the spine in a way that won’t show symptoms right away, but could have consequences later in life.
can help reduce the frequency of colds and flu.
After each chiropractic adjustment, the immune system becomes stronger and more effective. Getting an adjustment while you’re sick will help you recover faster, while receiving adjustments regularly without symptoms can help prevent illnesses due to the immune boosting qualities of the adjustment.
can reduce the frequency of ear infections.
The ear drains fluid trapped inside through the eustachian tube towards the back of the throat. This tube can become blocked or closed for a number of reasons, causing a backup of fluid which later leads to infection. Chiropractic adjustments have shown to help open the tube and remove the blockage, allowing for proper drainage which then alleviates the infection.
help with digestive issues.
Many children suffer from digestive issues. This is due to stress in the spine, often the lower back, and treatment can help improve function of the digestive system.
offer prevention.
Prevention when young is easier, cheaper, and far more effective than correction when older. This principal is true in many areas. It’s far better to take care of your car, house, or teeth then it is to wait until it breaks down, falls apart, or rots away. The same is true with your spine. The only difference is that you can buy another car, house, or even replace your teeth, but there’s no replacing your spine.
help to lessen or correct genetic conditions.
Some conditions are genetic and run in families; catching them early can help lessen the effect or possibly correct it outright before it has a chance to cause severe problems. This means that if you have a family with health problems, not just spine issues, don’t wait till those same problems present in your children before deciding to take action. Invest in prevention.
give children the best start at life.
Children deserve to be given the best chance and opportunity to thrive, and ensuring they have a properly functioning nervous system helps to ensure they are the healthiest they can be. Kids need chiropractic!
How Chiropractic Care is Helping Orphans and an Important Cause
I’m Deven, Dr. Paul’s wife, and I would love to take a minute to tell you about our work with a local orphanage. Dr. Paul and I are passionate about our work with Casa Hogar Alegre, an orphanage in Chiapas, Mexico. The children who live here are often taken from situations where they were physically and sexually abused, left behind by their families as they make their journey to the USA, or given to Casa Hogar with no backstory, as the government tries to find out what happened to their family. While children cannot be adopted from Casa Hogar, the staff here do an amazing job of taking care of them. They have an accredited school, teach the older children different skills so they can find work easily when they are adults, and do an overall great job of caring for each child. Currently, they have over 80 children relying on their care. Their vision is “To enable young people who leave this institution with the necessary tools of knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to integrate themselves into the social and productive life in our state.”
Once a week Dr. Paul and I visit Casa Hogar, with our two year old, to volunteer our time and services, and so the children and staff can receive chiropractic care and we can drop off any donation items or food.
When we first began our visits, many of the kids were nervous about being adjusted, and would enter the room timidly, eyeing Dr. Paul and his table, not sure what to expect. By our third visit, they started feeling more comfortable with my husband and being adjusted, and would walk into his makeshift Doctor’s office with more confidence. Here we are, a few months later, and every visit Dr. Paul has a line of kids and staff waiting outside the office, with many kids getting back in line and asking for a second adjustment. While we are there he sees children of all ages, ranging from newborn (their youngest and newest child is a sweet 2 month old named Emmanuel) to 18.
While I’ve seen some amazing changes in these kids, one of my favorite changes to witness happened two weeks ago. One of the babies who had just recently come to Casa Hogar (Eric) is a year and six months old, and still not walking or very mobile. Whenever I spent time in the nursery, I noticed that he never tried to pull himself up or cruise, he mostly sat or reached up asking to be held. After speaking with the staff and hearing their concerns, I spoke with my husband about what I was seeing and brought Eric into the office to have him checked. Dr. Paul got quite a few large movements while adjusting him. When I took Eric back to the nursery and set him down, instead of immediately crying or collapsing on his bottom, he stood firm and strong, and took two steps! It was so amazing and exciting to see this kind of improvement after just one adjustment. This is just one of many success stories, and an example of how truly beneficial chiropractic care is for children of all ages.
We have spent quite a bit of time at Casa Hogar and truly care about the children there. Sadly, they receive no government funding, meaning they rely on the donations and generosity of people who share a passion of helping children thrive. The cost of caring for the kids here is around $13,550 USD a month. If you’d like to learn more about Casa Hogar Alegre, contact them, or donate, you can visit their website.
You can also reach out to me directly about donation items such as clothes, shoes, etc at: [email protected]
Thank you dear friends,
Dev and Paul Hernandez
I have been researching chiropractic care and discovered that there are many different kinds out there. I liked the idea of Nucca but there is no practitioner in my area. A holistic dentist suggested Orthagonal but, again, finding one who practices this isn’t always easy. What are some things we should look for when finding a chiropractor? If someone might be able to recommend a specific local one, I live in Richmond, VA.
Thanks!
This is a great place to start: http://icpa4kids.org/Find-a-Chiropractor/
thank you!!
Dawn, great job in getting the word out with that article to parents about our kids. It is an uphill road here attempting to educate parents on why chiropractic is so necessary for their families. I responded to someone looking for a kids chiropractor. Lmk how or what I can do to supporting your mission better? Hope you and your family are Happy healthy and enjoying the summer. Stay in touch, john