Chiropractic FAQ Sheet: Toddlers, Tweens, and Teens
Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.
By Martha Micheal
From the moment they’re born, and every day after, a lot of factors affect a person’s health. Every adult who contributes to the life of a child plays a significant role in their overall well-being. The holistic support provided by a chiropractor offers children a great start, beginning with infancy and evolving as they grow.
Chiropractors have a unique understanding of the body’s musculoskeletal system and its developmental changes over time. They can monitor your child’s growth and development to maximize their health and offer the most appropriate course of treatment when health challenges occur.
What Are Common Reasons to Seek Chiropractic Care for Kids?
Parents who are committed to routine chiropractic care for the entire family are investing in health and wellness over time. Children have unique health challenges that can develop; it’s helpful to have a baseline of their overall wellness so changes are detected more easily. Regular chiropractic care is a way to address a wide range of health issues to minimize risk and treat them when necessary.
Does Chiropractic Treat Colic and Infant Irritability?
The inexplicable discomfort experienced by an infant can be extremely difficult for a parent. They sometimes get frustrated, in part because they’re unaware of the causes.
During an examination, a skilled chiropractor explores the root cause of a colicky baby’s complaints, which may lead to a diagnosis and age-appropriate treatment to alleviate pain and discomfort.
Does Chiropractic Treat Bed Wetting?
Urinary incontinence, or enuresis, is familiar to parents of toddlers, but it’s not uncommon in older children. Nocturnal enuresis affects five million American kids older than six years of age, according to doctors at Johns Hopkins University. It’s more common among boys than girls, and many factors play a part in it, including:
- Poor sleep habits
- Small bladder
- Incomplete toilet training
- Hormone malfunction
- Genetic issues
- Side effects of medication
Though it’s a common childhood experience during the potty-training period, sometimes kids return to bed-wetting after a long period of staying dry. With ongoing chiropractic care your child can get early treatment for its recurrence. Ruling out a catalyst such as changes in the family or recent trauma, a chiropractor may reduce irritation or nerve blockage affecting bladder function. Sometimes, it’s caused by a problem with the sacrum, which is fused in adults but divided into separate segments in young children. A chiropractor can correct these misalignments and treat injuries that may be contributing to the recurring issue.
Does Chiropractic Fix Bad Posture?
It’s common to see tweens and teens slouching. Such a habit can lead to postural kyphosis,according to an article in Nemours KidsHealth. Weakening muscles in growing bodies can present challenges later in life. If your child is leaning forward and developing a hunched shape, their spinal column may become accustomed to a rounded positioning. Obviously, that is a bad thing.
A chiropractor can conduct a spinal examination, checking for misalignment as the patient bends forward at the waist or observing how well their back adjusts to lying down. After a proper diagnosis, the doctor may provide a treatment plan—such as a chiropractic adjustment—to improve postural problems and an exercise program to strengthen back muscles.
Risks Associated With Chiropractic Adjustments for Children and Teens
Spine health is at the center of a chiropractor’s expertise and training. Many parents rely on chiropractic care for their children to treat health problems and provide wellness care.
“Chiropractic care is a safe form of treatment for people of all ages, virtually from birth to grave,” says Jason Alviene, DC, MS, the manager of chiropractic training for The Joint Chiropractic. “Adjustments for children are not the same adjustments given to adults. Every patient’s physical size and health is taken into consideration for every adjustment. Parents should not be overly concerned about whether a chiropractic adjustment is safe for infants, toddlers, tweens, and teens.”
Spinal manipulation is a gentle, hands-on, high-velocity impulse motion aligning the spinal column to optimize nervous system function. It’s an effective form of treatment for subluxation that also has visible benefits such as improved posture. Chiropractic adjustments may also include other joints, including elbows, wrists, ribs, hips, knees, and ankles.
The safe and accessible treatment offered by chiropractic healthcare professionals serves patients of all ages. An article in Science Direct cites a Gallup survey of American adults showing that 50 percent of respondents had sought care from a doctor of chiropractic. The American Chiropractic Association estimates that 35 million adults and children are treated annually (about 10 percent of the population).
In addition to their academic expertise in adult health, chiropractors study the physiology and anatomy of pediatric patients. The clinical skills they develop during coursework are geared toward preventative care that’s effective in reducing the risk of injuries. Many people seek age-appropriate treatment for their kids through the work of a pediatric chiropractor.
Citing the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the Science Direct article says that chiropractic care for children has had a global impact. Compared to other complementary and integrative medical practices treating children, international chiropractic pediatric care is the most common.
“The chiropractic profession holds the responsibility of ethical and safe practice and requires the cultivation and mastery of both an academic foundation and clinical expertise that distinguish chiropractic from other disciplines,” the article says.
Do Chiropractors Offer Lifestyle Advice to Benefit Children?
In addition to the preventative health benefits of chiropractic care, the lifestyle choices of a patient can have a significant impact on their overall wellness. There are strategies in the chiropractor’s playbook that can help parents who want to maximize their children’s health outcomes. These include the following.
- Healthy diet
- Exercise
- Social connection
- Mental and emotional balance
Your child’s chiropractor may have specific recommendations to address health challenges. For instance, if a child or teen is putting on too much weight, their chiropractor may suggest a cardio or exercise program to burn calories. In the case of scoliosis or other issues affecting spinal development, they may recommend exercises to improve flexibility, such as stretching or swimming.
How Can Chiropractors Support the Health and Athletic Performance of Young Athletes?
If you have a high school student playing sports such as football or basketball, they may be under the watchful eye of a team physician or maybe even a chiropractor. In addition to being on the sidelines to immediately address sports injuries, a chiropractor can be an important member of a student athlete’s support team.
If your Little League player would like to make it to the big leagues, a lot of things can get in their way. Aside from instruction from coaches and inspiration from their family, it’s important to be in optimal health. No one becomes a skilled baseball or softball player while injured on the sidelines.
If your teen is a water polo standout, getting them into regular chiropractic care is a great way to keep them in the pool to score goals. The risk of injury is a part of playing any sport, but maintaining optimum health and conditioning is the best way to reduce the threat of injury and make recovery quicker.
Even today’s cheer team is more than support staff—they’re talented athletes in their own right who often spend years in training. Students who have long-term goals with plans to take their talent to the next level need routine chiropractic care to keep them competitive. It can help them gain an edge through better performance as well as a reduction in discomfort from injuries.
For a closer look at the impact of chiropractic on young athletes, particularly high school athletes, here are links to help guide your child’s athletic routine.
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Cheer
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water polo
- Wrestling
- Fans in the bleachers
Fans in the bleachers Should My Child Have a Chiropractic Adjustment?
Chiropractic adjustments reduce subluxation and create the necessary, proper spinal alignment to free up neurons and relieve pressure in the nervous system. Nerve compression leads to complications that inhibit speed, reaction time, motor control, and restrict range of motion. Pediatric chiropractic care gives young people a good opportunity to build strong muscles, improve nerve function, and recover from injuries when they occur.
The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.
