Chiropractic Care at Health 4 Life Wellness, Luray Virginia

Can my baby receive chiropractic care? Infants a few hours old have been given spinal checkups and adjustments (if needed).

Infants and Babies

You do everything to ensure your baby’s health; during pregnancy you eat right, you avoid drugs, cigarettes and alcohol (even aspirin has been shown to cause problems in pregnancy); and you take childbirth classes so you may have a natural, drug-free birth. After the baby arrives, you breastfeed knowing that is the superior form of nutrition; you do everything you can to make sure your baby is healthy – have you had their spine checked?

Birth Trauma – The First Subluxation

The birth process…is potentially a traumatic, crippling event…mechanical stress imposed by obstetrical manipulation – even the application of standard orthodox procedures may prove intolerable to the fetus. The view has been expressed clinically that most signs of neonatal injury observed in the delivery room are neurological …

"With the birth process becoming more and more an intervening procedure…the chiropractic adjustment becomes even more important to the child’s future, "said the late Larry Webster, D.C., of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

The Spine and Infant Health

Of a random group of 1,250 babies examined 5 days after birth, 211 suffered from vomiting, hyperactivity and sleeplessness – spinal abnormalities were found in 95% of this group. Spinal adjustment "frequently resulted in immediate quieting, cessation of crying, muscular relaxation and sleepiness." The authors noted that an unhealthy spine causes "many clinical features from central motor impairment to lower resistance to infections – especially ear, nose and throat infections."

In another study, of 1093 newborns checked, 298 had upper neck stress and early signs of scoliosis.

For over a hundred years, doctors of chiropractic have observed often dramatic responses from some infants after a chiropractic spinal adjustment with conditions as varied as Erb’s palsy, in which an arm is limp and undeveloped, unbalanced facial and skull symmetry, foot inversion, colic, torticollis (twisted neck), "nervousness," and ear, nose and throat infections.

When Does a Baby Need a Spinal Checkup?

According to chiropractic pediatric specialist, Larry Webster, D.C., there are six times in a baby’s first year of life when spinal examinations are especially important:

Conclusion

"Our children deserve to be treated naturally, not with dangerous chemical drugs and unproven surgeries, "says Bobby Doscher, D.C., director of Oklahaven Children’s Center, which is beginning its fourth decade helping indigent children with physical neurological and emotional disabilities through drug-free chiropractic care.

Do all you can to give your baby the best possible chance to have a healthy life. That includes childbirth without violence, avoidance of drugs and medical procedures (except in emergencies) and breastfeeding. You have your baby’s eyes checked, heart checked, ears checked … why not their spine?

References

Towbin, Develop. Med. Child Neurol, Webster, International Chiropratic Pediatric Association Newsletter May 1999, Gutman, Manuelle Medizin 1987, Seifert, Tehabilitacia 1975, Harris & Wood, JMPT, 1993, Ellis & Ebrall, Chiropractic Technique, 1991, Klougart & Jacobsen, JMPT 1989, Nilsson, Eur J. Chiro 1985, Pluhar & Schobert, J of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, 1991, Biedermann, J Manual Medicine, 1992, Toto, JMPT, 1993 Webster, speech 1995, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter 1994.

Beeson & McDermott, Textbook of medicine 1971, Mendelsohn, Medical Newsletter for consumers, Stein, ACA Journal of Chiropractic, 1964, Reynolds, Journal of the AOA, 1974, Guthrie & Martin, Journal of the AOA, 1982, Howe, ICA Ma Networker Journal, 1994, Peterson, Journal of the AOA, 1975.

Mckinney, Orthopade, 1994, Cailliet, Neck and Arm Pain, 1979, Smith, Center for Nutritional Research, 1986, Chrisman & Gervais, Clin. Orthop, 1962, Nunn, Whiplash Syndrome, 1990, Gargan, I of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1990, Stewart, Clin. Orthop, 1962, Bohnen, Brian Injury, 1994, Evans, Neurology, 1994, Seletz, Journal of the American Medical Association, Smith, Int’l Center for Nutritional Research, 1986.