Although some still question its efficacy and legitimacy, chiropractic care is widely accepted as a primary type of health care. To practice chiropractic, chiropractors must complete 4 years and usually require 3 or more years of undergraduate college. This is equivalent to the schooling required by a general practitioner.
Because they are trained to treat the whole person and not just symptoms, your chiropractor can also act as your general practitioner. Your chiropractor may be able to refer you to a specialist if you have an illness or condition that they are unable to treat.
Chiropractic Care for Children: Benefits
Childhood can be physically traumatizing. During this time children learn to walk, crawl and run by spending as much time on the ground than they do on their feet.
They continue to tumble when they begin playing sports or engaging in other activities. Most children bounce back and experience little pain. But these misalignments can cause spinal nerve damage and impair the functioning of the nervous system. This could prevent the child from performing at their best.
A chiropractor can correct misalignments in children, improve their overall health, and prevent future problems.
Pediatric Chiropractic Care
Your chiropractor will not treat your child in the same manner as they would for you. The bodies of children grow and develop at incredible rates so it is important to care for them differently from an adult.
Chiropractic care is a unique option for children because they are still growing and developing. Pediatric Chiropractic Adjustments are not possible without changing the depth of contact or techniques..
Is Chiropractic Care A Risk To My Child?
In general, chiropractic care is noninvasive, and does not require the use of drugs. Because of its holistic approach, it is considered safer than other forms of healthcare such as surgery and prescription medication.
Chiropractic care is appealing to parents who are concerned about side effects and the dangers associated with antibiotic overuse and the misuse of painkillers.
There is always a risk in any type of healthcare. A review of all available research revealed that chiropractic care is safe and effective for children when applied by properly trained chiropractors.
When To Start Chiropractic Care For Your Children
The ICPA encourages parents and guardians to get their children to the chiropractor as soon as possible.
Many common problems faced by infants, such as colic and ear infections, and breastfeeding difficulties, may be caused by misalignments during birth.
What Chiropractic Care Can Do For Kids
Many children can have issues when they’re born and even lead into their adult lives. Here are a few of the childhood issues chiropractors commonly treat:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Colic
- Sleep problems
- Digestive problems
- Sports injuries
- Infections of the ear
- Headaches
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Asperger’s syndrome and autism spectrum disorders
- Focus and concentration issues
- Irritable baby syndrome
As you can see, even though chiropractors are typically thought of for pain relief such as back pain or neck pain, they can treat a wide variety of issues for children too. So whether your child has a chronic condition or not, it’s important to learn how a chiropractor can help.