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Information
for Parents
When should
I take my child to a Doctor of Chiropractic?
WHEN you want your child to have all the benefits of a conservative,
drugless approach to health care. Your child's first visit to the Doctor
of Chiropractic can be a pleasant experience, one without painful injections
and procedures, but with plenty of nurturing. A Doctor of Chiropractic
should examine your child during that all-important first year of life
when spinal trauma can occur during birth as well as from tumbles while
learning to sit up or walk. Improper lifting and carrying of your child
can also contribute to spinal stress. Your child's spine grows almost
50% in length during that first year (the equivalent of a six-footer
growing to nine feet in just 12 months!) It's this kind of tremendous
growth and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic
examination so important in the early stages of your child's life.
WHEN you want to
give your child a head start in good health. Doctors of Chiropractic
believe it's much more important to prevent diseases than wait till
some illness occurs. Through regular adjustments, counseling on proper
diet, exercise and posture, the Doctor of Chiropractic can help you
raise a child whose body is structurally and functionally sound. Your
child will also learn good health habits at an early age which can be
very beneficial to him or her as an adult.
WHEN your child
takes a fall. Youngsters take numerous tumbles while learning to walk,
riding a bike, or even while jumping or running around. But after their
tears have dried, underlying injuries could go undetected--such as a
misaligned vertebra during the spine's most formative period.
Regular spinal
exams by the Doctor of Chiropractic can provide corrective and preventive
care for your son or daughter and peace of mind for you.
WHEN your child
takes part in athletic activities. The “sack” of a young quarterback
could twist a young spine. A softball pitcher could throw a vertebra
out of alignment. Doctors of Chiropractic can do more than correct these
problems, they can also help improve performance on and off the field
by helping the body function at its optimum level, naturally without
stress and without drugs.
How safe is
chiropractic for my child?
Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of health care. A baby's spine
is very supple during the first few months of life and the Doctor of
Chiropractic applies only a slight pressure to make spinal adjustments.
Under normal circumstances, chiropractic adjustments are painless and
will not hurt your child. Chiropractors do not use drugs which sometimes
cause more harmful side effects than the progression of the disease
itself. Drugs can also create the potential for addiction, even in young
children. The Doctor of Chiropractic does not perform any invasive procedures
(such as surgery) which sometimes can have irreversible side effects.
These are some of the reasons why malpractice insurance rates for chiropractors
are only a fraction of what physicians pay and why more than 30 million
Americans choose chiropractic care for their children and themselves.
How effective
is chiropractic care for children?
Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care
or children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies
conducted by researchers in Germany, Australia, Denmark and the United
States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic for a variety
of childhood illnesses. This body of scientific evidence is growing
every day.
Do all Doctors
of Chiropractic care for children? How do I choose?
Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states of the U.S. to
provide chiropractic care to children and adults. A doctor who is interested
in providing the best care possible will belong to a chiropractic pediatric
council and take regular continuing post-graduate courses in pediatrics.
Some may pursue a postgraduate degree in pediatrics. Choose a doctor
with a family practice or who is referred to you by another parent.
The International Chiropractors Association has a Pediatrics Council
to which many doctors belong. This Council regularly updates doctors
with the latest in chiropractic pediatric care and encourages its members
to take advanced education in chiropractic pediatrics to improve their
diagnostic and clinical skills.
To find out if
a doctor in your area is a member of the ICA Pediatrics Council call
the International Chiropractors Association at (703) 528-5000.FAQs
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