How Chiropractic Care Can Help Children
At Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness we see patients of all types for all different reasons. A great deal of our practice is related to pain management, particularly for the back and neck. We’ll also see patients who’ve been involved in accidents or who have chronic sports injuries. Our patients come from a variety of backgrounds and we see people of all ages.
Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness Can Benefit Younger Patients
And we do mean all ages. Like adults, our younger patients can benefit from chiropractic care. We are committed to helping all of our patients, so we want to tell you about the needs and issues connected to our younger patients and let you know why chiropractic care is safe and beneficial for children and teens.
Pediatric chiropractic care is on the rise. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) approximately 3 percent of children have been treated with chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. In 2000, there were about 30 million pediatric visits to chiropractors. By 2009 that number more than doubled to 68 million visits.
Younger patients don’t just receive chiropractic care for neck and back issues. They often receive care for chronic illnesses and other issues.
“Kids are sensitive to toxins in the air, and certain scenarios create the perfect storm in the nervous system, kicking it out of whack,” Dr. Kristina Kauffman, a practicing chiropractor told the Northwest Indiana Times. “Kids are popping up with attention deficit disorder, allergies and more. Many conditions can be traced back to an uncomfortable pregnancy or a difficult first year of life or childhood.”
According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, (ICPA) the purpose of chiropractic care is not to treat the disease, but to reduce spinal nerve stress which interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system. A strong nervous system increases resistance to disease and allows a young person’s body to function more effectively.
Safety and Chiropractic for Kids
With the rise in chiropractic treatment for younger patients, parents are naturally concerned about safety issues connected with treatment. Writing for the ACA website, author Gina Shaw points out that several studies have shown that adverse events rarely occur among young patients. A 2011 survey found a rate of .53 percent to 1 percent mild adverse events for pediatric chiropractic manipulative therapy while a 2009 survey found only three adverse events per 5,438 office visits from the treatment of 577 children among Chiropractors who responded to a survey. Among parents who responded, there were only two adverse events involving 1,735 office visits involving 239 children.
According to ACA, a 2014 review—examining all published cases of serious adverse events in infants and children over a span of 115 years, concluded that “serious adverse events in infants and children receiving chiropractic, osteopathic, physiotherapy, or manual medical therapy are exceedingly rare.”
Total Chiropractic Can Make a Difference in Children’s Lives
If you’re concerned about your child’s chronic illness such as ear infections, back pain or neck pain or if your child has been in an accident or other traumatic events, chiropractic care may be able to help. To learn more, contact us today.
Please note that the author of this piece is not a doctor and the information in this material is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
