Children and Adolescents

Most parents know the importance of regular checkups for their children’s growth rates, teeth, hearing and vision. You do everything you can to ensure your child is healthy – but have you had their spine checked?

Babies love to test out their new spines, first learning to hold up their head, and then learning to sit up, crawl, stand up and finally walk.  In their first year your child’s spine grows almost 50% in length. During this process it is normal for them to have a number of slips, tumbles and falls.

As they grow through their childhood and teenage years they really start to challenge their bodies, learning to run, climb, jump, ride bikes, carry heavy school bags and play sport.

Whilst all of these are a normal part of growing up, any of these may affect the developing bones of the spine and skull.  Some of them may be large, often they are small ‘micro traumas’, but if left uncorrected these traumas may have an accumulative effect causing subluxations, so it is advisable for your child or adolescent to get checkups on a regular basis.

Chiropractic may help with other common childhood complaints that include bedwetting, unexplained crying in a baby, colic, breast feeding difficulties, sleeping problems, breathing problems including asthma, ear infections, scoliosis, headaches, stomach aches, poor concentration, hyperactivity and sports injuries.

Chiropractic can help you raise a child free of Subluxations and aware of the need for a proper diet, exercise and good posture. So have your children checked for Subluxations as early as possible.

Childcare Tips For Parents

1. Avoid the use of baby bouncers and walkers that place the child in an upright position before babies have developed the ability to stand unassisted.  It is important to remember that a young baby’s spine is still ossifying (laying down bone).
2. Do not keep infants in car capsules for extended periods when not driving.
3. Avoid picking up a young child up by the forearms, as this may cause damage and pain to the child’s elbow.
4. Infants should be encouraged to sleep on their back as this lowers the incidence of SIDS. An older infant or toddler may lie on their side using a pillow, providing the pillow’s thickness is the same as the distance between the side of their head and tip of their shoulder.
5. Children should be encouraged to participate in a wide range of physical and sporting activities from a young age.  Keep in mind that their spines are still developing and as such no undue loads should be placed upon them (i.e. weights programs may not be appropriate depending on age and style of program).
6. A child’s posture should always be monitored, especially if sitting at a computer.  Bad habits developed now will be harder to correct later in life.
7. Properly fitted backpacks should be correctly worn with straps over each shoulder and packed with the heaviest items closest to the body and at the bottom of the bag.
8. Sitting on the floor with legs crossed or kneeling with feet turned out is not recommended as this may place undue pressure on their knees.
9. Children should be exposed to a wide variety of healthy and natural foods.  Using junk food as a reward should be discouraged.  The number of children suffering from childhood obesity in Australia is increasing.
10. Spinal damage can occur at an early age.  To prevent serious problems developing a regular check-up with a Chiropractor is recommended.

(Adapted from information from Chiropractor’s Association of Australia.)