It may be difficult to imagine that a child would need chiropractic care. They seldom complain of pain the way adults do and their bodies seem to bounce back faster from injuries. The truth is, children's bodies are under a lot of stress while they are developing and keeping them healthy requires maintenance.
Stress and trauma to the body and spine commonly begin with the birthing process. Infant spines can easily become misaligned from the intense pressure involved in both natural and Cesarean births. Unfortunately, other than crying, they have no way of communicating their pain. Throughout infancy, they may sleep in awkward positions and occasionally take a tumble. Toddlers, strain twist and fall, while learning to crawl and walk. Luckily, they are very resilient and can take a lot of impacts, but it is not uncommon for these injuries to develop into patterns of movement that will pull a child's bones out of alignment over time.
As kids age, they may start to develop bad posture. Sitting in front of a computer or TV can have serious repercussions on the spine. Playing contact sports, wearing heavy backpacks and even sitting at desks can all cause issues. As teenagers, they begin to deal with the stress of daily life whether working or playing sports.
Chiropractors can perform an extensive examination to determine the cause and the best route for treatment. Some children are too young to communicate or they're shy — a chiropractor has the skills to work with them to find out exactly what is going on before proceeding with treatment. Gentle and non-invasive adjustments are then made to the spine.
For more information about pediatric chiropractic adjustments, call New Horizon Chiropractic at 330.952.2255 or visit them at 740 E. Washington St., Ste. E1, Medina.