How Chiropractic Care Supports Healthy Development in Children

Each child has their own unique needs when it comes to supporting their growing body. They are not simply little adults. They have very unique and evolving anatomical and neurodevelopment presentations. They have different issues compared to adults, that can affect them at variable times of their life. They need treatments that are suitable for their unique stage of development and they deserve practitioners that understand all of this.

Paediatric trained Chiropractors have knowledge and skills to help children live healthier lives and reach their full potential. So whether you have a newborn who is struggling to latch, an infant with a janky crawl, a toddler with a head tilt, a preschooler who has poor balance, a school-aged child with growing pains or a teen with chronic headaches – Chiropractic can be incredibly helpful at getting to the source of the problem and providing an effective treatment approach.

How does chiropractic help children?

Chiropractic takes a holistic and hands on approach to helping children. We look at the “whole human” who has come to see us. We consider all aspects of a child’s life and health history and how it plays a role in their complaint. Things such as their birth history, exposure to stress, presence of food allergies or the activities they enjoy can all contribute to their presentation.

Chiropractors are also very good at assessing different systems of the body. Such as the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, vestibular system, etc.

We check things such as:

• Muscle control and function
• Tone
• Balance
• Cranial nerve function
• Gross motor skills
• Fine motor skills
• Reflexes
• Posture
• Spinal ROM and alignment
• Peripheral joint function (shoulders, ankles, etc.)
• Sinuses
• Breathing pattern
• Cranial and head shape
• Retained neonatal reflexes
• Jaw development, tongue posture, and more.

Early detection

Chiropractors may also pick up on issues early. This can be helpful for families.

We can support some of these presentations and/or help provide referrals to other health care providers when needed. We look out for such things as:

• Scoliosis
• Poor posture development
• Undetected injuries
• Developmental hip dysplasia
• Low tone
• Retained neonatal reflexes
• Hypermobility
• Tongue ties/oral ties, and more.

We can help children and their parents find the underlying cause of pain and/or dysfunction.

Chiropractic care is also a great way to help your child feel relaxed, be connected to their body and provide relief from tension, aches and pains. Just because they are a child, doesn’t mean they don’t get sore and tight in their body too.

Why do parents bring their children to a chiropractor?

Chiropractic can be helpful in a variety of ways and often it’s best to see it in stage of development.  Below is a list of common issues we help support kids with at different stages of childhood.

Newborn:

• Birth trauma (Instrumental birth, long labour, difficult delivery)
• Head preference
• Torticollis
• Latch and breastfeeding issues
• Tongue/Oral tie (working with dentists and lactation consultants)
• Poor sleep

Infant:

• Head preference
• Torticollis
• Flat head syndrome
• Concerns with milestones (rolling, crawling)
• Feeding Issues
• Sleep Issues

Toddlers:

• Concerns with Milestones (walking, running, jumping)
• Bumps and Scrapes of Toddlerhood
• Concerns with Gait or Running Technique
• Balance Issues
• Sleep Issues

Pre-School:

• Balance
• Co-ordination
• Concern with Gait or Running Technique
• Bumps and Scrapes of Childhood
• Poor Breathing Technique (mouth breathing)

Childhood:

• Balance
• Co-ordination
• Aches and pains
• Sports Injuries
• Headaches
• Retained Neonatal Reflexes
• Sleep Issues
• Scoliosis

Teens:

• Headaches
• Posture
• Neck and Back Pain
• Sports Injuries
• Tension and Stress Related to School
• Teeth Grinding and Jaw Problems
• Cranial & Jaw work when receiving orthodontic treatment
• Shoulder Pain
• Shin Splints
• Balance
• Co-ordination

What techniques do chiropractors use to treat children?

The techniques and approaches used are selected based on our patient’s unique needs. We consider things such as:

• The presenting complaint
• Goals of the patient and their parents
• Age
• Medications
• Health history
• Family history

As an example; the treatment approach for an infant dealing with latch issues would be completely different to that of a 16-year-old with back pain. An infant is at the very beginning of their development, whereas a 16-year-old is much closer in development to that of an adult.

The techniques used for a young baby are very gentle, specific and low force and tailored to their tiny structure. Techniques we may use include:

• Mobilsations
• Specific muscle work
• Fascia & soft tissue releases
• Stretches
• Adjustments
• Specific ligament work
• Rehab exercises
• Ergonomic advice

Is chiropractic for children safe?

The treatment approach for every patient should be unique and take into account their individual health history, age, physiology and their personal goals for treatment. This improves safety and efficacy of treatment.

There is a broad spectrum of treatments chiropractors can use with their patients; each with their own potential benefits and risk. One treatment approach may be perfectly suitable and low risk for one patient, but not appropriate for another and therefore would not be done. In the paediatric age group, this is an important consideration.

With Children we take into account:

• Age
• Stage of development
• Medical history
• Family history
• Medications
• Tone

So we approach treatment to suit their age and stage of development in order to optimise treatment results and patient safety. Treatments are often:

• Gentle, low-force
• Focused on mobility
• Focused on specific muscle and soft tissue work
• Rehab Based
• Patient Focused

In Conclusion

As parents, you know your kids best and you can pick up on changes with your kids. Their posture looks off, they aren’t sleeping well, they’re more grumpy than usual, or they complain they feel sore and are over it! These may be clues they need some help.

Our paediatric trained chiropractors can help and provide gentle, age-appropriate treatments to support your child’s growing body. Kids need and deserve to have their niggling issues worked on too so that they can thrive and feel great!

Dr. Amanda O’Doherty

Hi, I’m Amanda. Chiropractor, mum, human body nerd, keen walker (with stroller of course) and social butterfly. I work with mothers and babies to help with underlying musculoskeletal issues of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding; so that mothers can gain confidence in their body for their birthing and breastfeeding journey.