I get this question very frequently and the truth is, we see a lot of kids! But the question remains, "what could possibly be wrong with a baby/child that they would need to see a chiropractor in Grand Rapids MI?" More often than not, the answer to that question is not so much what is wrong, but what is already perfect.

Chiropractic Premise

"The power that made the body, heals the body." -B.J. Palmer

Inside all of us, we have what's called Innate Intelligence. The facts are that your body knows exactly what it needs to survive. The easiest way to demonstrate this when you get a cut or a scrape. You don't need to do anything, your body creates a clot/scab. All of your vital functions (heart beating, breathing, digesting, etc) happen involuntarily. You don't need to tell your white blood cells to attack bacteria, it does it automatically. This is innate intelligence. All of these functions are controlled by the brain. The brain sends and receives information through the nervous system, which acts like a super highway of information and energy from the brain to every single organ, gland, muscle, and cell in your body. This is where chiropractic comes in. The goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to identify areas where spinal misalignment is interfering with the nervous system (aka subluxation), make the adjustment to remove the interference, and leave it alone and the body will begin to heal itself.

"So how does a newborn/infant/child become subluxated?"

"After examining 1,250 babies (born naturally and cesarean) within 5 days after birth, 95% of their spines were misaligned." -VM Frymann in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association

The birthing process is very traumatic. Not only for the mother but also for the newborn. The newborn's malleable skeleton is forced through a canal surrounded by bone, commonly pulled out by the use of force either by hand or instrument assisted, and exposed to harmful chemicals during the administration of an epidural or when induced. An estimated 60-90 pounds of force are applied to a newborn's neck during the birthing process. Failure to identify and correct these issues are inevitably going to hinder the development of the child in varying degrees. This does not take into account the constant exposure of chemicals, hormones, and preservatives in the coming years. Learning to walk - all of the falls, spills, stumbles, tumbles, and more. Sports - physical contact, impact, injuries. Playground - accidents, pushes, shoves, falls, etc. One could argue that children are under far more physical stress in a day than we adults experience in a year. Having your child's spine checked early and often will provide them a clean slate and interference-free nervous system to develop and heal without the use of drugs and surgery.

Subluxations will rob your child's ability to develop, suppress immune system function, and protect his/herself against toxins and chemical exposure.

"What kind of symptoms should I be looking for?"

"It's better to grow healthy kids than to fix injured adults."
Your child could be completely symptom free... to your perspective. By the time your child learns to communicate or talk, as well as be able to describe what he or she is experiencing, chances are it's already been going on for years. Many spinal issues (for people of all ages) develop silently at first, then tend to manifest themselves much more abruptly. I'm sure you have a neighbor/friend/family member who's back "went out" trying to pick up something on the ground, putting on socks, or "sleeping wrong." The reality is these events are not that stressful but the accumulation of stress builds until all of a sudden there's a crisis. It's like driving on an unbalanced tire until it wears out and you have a blowout. Many issues that we experience as teenagers and adults stem from our early childhood. This is why, regardless of any symptoms or lack thereof, it is important to have your child's spine checked early and often. Common symptoms that may be present include:

• Inability or difficulty latching/breastfeeding
• Asymmetric or limited range of motion especially in the neck
• Persistent irritability or colic
• Sleep difficulties or irregularities
• Digestive issues
• Pain of any kind

What conditions do chiropractors in Grand Rapids MI help in kids?

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in proper diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
-Thomas Edison

The answer to this question can become wordy so I will try to make this as simple as possible. Chiropractors DO NOT treat conditions. We are focused on the CAUSE of that condition. Misalignments/subluxations cause dis-ease in the nervous system. By correcting the subluxations and removing nerve interference, the body has infinite potential to heal itself. With that being said, there are a number of conditions that see great, scientifically documented results after chiropractic care:

• Difficulty latching/breastfeeding
• Colic
• Asthma
• ADD/ADHD
• Bedwetting
• Growing Pains
• Ear Infections (look for a future blog dedicated solely to this topic)
• Upper digestion issues: acid reflux, heart burn
• Lower digestion issues: constipation, diarrhea
• Allergies
• Immune function
• Epilepsy/Seizures
• Headaches/Migraines
• Sinus/Respiratory Infections
• Torticollis
• Tonsilitis
• Sleep difficulties

Why you should have your child's spine evaluated FIRST

"The beauty about chiropractic is the fact that it works with natural means. It puts nothing new into the body, nor does it take away any natural gland or organ. Chiropractic simply releases life forces within the body, sets free rivulets of energy over nerves, and let's nature do her work in a normal manner."

-BJ Palmer

The quote above does a pretty good job of making this topic self-explanatory. Ultimately, chiropractic should be your first approach to healthcare because it is the most conservative of approaches. If your child does not need to be exposed to a drug or chemical, why should they? If you can avoid putting them through a procedure or surgery, why shouldn't you? If your child ends up not being a chiropractic candidate or needs specialized attention for a certain condition, that can be arranged. Interventions should be started conservatively moving to more invasive as needed. It's easy to hear your child screaming with a fever and grab a Tylenol, but don't forget that a fever is a natural process in the body that is trying to accomplish something... heal itself. Monitor and be smart.

"What do I need to know about chiropractic treatment?"

"Chiropractic is health insurance. Premiums are small. Dividends large." - BJ Palmer

Chiropractic treatments are gentle, safe, and effective for the realignment of spine and the removal of nerve interference. The cost for chiropractic care is a narrow view of it's true impact. Instead we need to look at how you SAVE with chiropractic care. A study followed people for over 7 years and of those who chose to see a chiropractor as their primary initiation of care saw cost savings such as:

• 60.2% less hospital admissions
• 59% less hospital stays
• 62% less outpatient surgeries and procedures
• 85% less pharmaceutical costs

Conclusion

"The natural force in each of us is the greatest force in getting well." - Hippocrates

At the very beginning of this post, I said "it is not so much what is wrong, but what is already perfect."

After reading this, you need to take away the fact that your child already has every capability to be healthy inside of him or her. That is why your baby is perfect. The chiropractic adjustment gets everything out of the way that will compromise this incredible truth and I have dedicated my career and my life to helping keep your baby healthy and happy for their entire life.