When it comes to chiropractic care, you might not think that kids and teenagers require it. That is far from reality however, and I would even argue that it is just as essential for that age group as it is for adults.
Our clinic name is East St. Paul Family Chiropractic, and we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality care to the entire family, ages 0-99 (and up!). The type of care that babies, infants, and children receive is obviously different than what a fully grown adult would receive, but the premise and objectives remain the same. In this article, I’ll summarize the differences in care between each age group, and possible conditions chiropractic care can help with.
Ages 0-5
Birth can be traumatic, for both Mom and baby! Babies don’t have a way to communicate that they are in discomfort—other than crying of course. I recommend getting checked out if you notice irregularities in bowel movements. This includes issues such as constipation, excess gas, distention and bloating that may be contributing to colic, as well as delayed crawling or avoiding “tummy time”. Despite what some might say, it is never “normal” to go 5 days without pooping. The amount of pressure used to adjust a baby is very gentle, about what is required to check the ripeness of a tomato. Some parents report a full diaper by the time they get home, so be prepared!
Ages 5-12
These are prime movement years. Bumps, bruises, falls, and new sports! Kids might appear to be made of rubber, but the spine still must absorb these forces. Chiropractic care can help with neck and upper back pain associated with a whiplash type injury —think falling on the ice, tripping at soccer, getting double bounced off a trampoline. Adjustments for this age range still remain very gentle, mostly using an instrument called an Activator, combined with targeted exercises to begin adding strength and stability to a growing frame.
Ages 12-17
This time period is when most children start their growth spurts. We now know that the most common type of scoliosis, Idiopathic Scoliosis, begins during the adolescent years due to these rapid growth spurts. It is vitally important to have your children checked for this early on, to make sure issues are caught when they can be potentially and easily reversed. Growing pains are quite common during this time period (and even as early as 2-3 years old), as the skeletal structure and muscles grow independently of each other, often creating imbalances within the musculoskeletal system. Current evidence suggests chiropractic care is beneficial for growing pains, and can help to correct these imbalances.
Adult Years
The stressors of life have peaked, and we start to experience problems associated with things like a desk job, frequent heavy lifting, wrestling with your kids, golf, beer league hockey, pickleball etc. etc. Chiropractic care can help with headaches, neck pain, back pain, general tension and joint pain, as well as assessing and rehabilitating sports-related injuries.
Senior Years
A rolling stone gathers no moss. In our later years in life, strength and mobility are absolutely essential to thrive. Your spine requires movement in order to keep the discs healthy and hydrated. When the individual vertebrae stop moving for extended periods, the discs get less pliable and more susceptible to injury. Often, when we are in pain we tend to stop moving and “rest it”, which in many cases is the exact opposite of what needs to be done. Yes, pain sucks, but my goal is to break you out of this pain pattern, and get you moving, while educating you on proper stretches and exercises to re-stabilize your spine. This will help prevent future injuries, as best as possible. The outcome of this is not just adding years to your life, but life to your years.
If you have any questions or would like to have a conversation with me about the health of yourself or any member of your family, feel free to reach out at (204)777-2225.
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