As a father of a 9 month old boy, I understand that kids are very resilient and often times shrug off falls or scrapes. As a chiropractor, I also understand the significance of such minor falls and scrapes. It seems so trivial but the effect of a small fall can have a domino effect on the growth and health of our little ones.
Children are vulnerable to trauma in their spines from various activities and events including falling down, because they are in such a rapid growth period of their lives. These small traumas can put stress on the vertebrae of the spine as to place pressure on their spinal nerves and therefore decrease their bodies’ ability to function normally. It sounds like something that would hurt doesn’t it? Well it actually doesn’t hurt all the time. Symptoms such as pain and malfunction may not even show up for years, but it doesn’t mean these kinds of stress are not injuring their vital nervous systems. These injuries can have a lifetime of damaging effects if not addressed and corrected.
Children and teenagers should be checked periodically throughout their growing years. The earlier the detection and correction, the more prevention we can offer to their spine and nervous system. A good time to be check would be before your child or teenager starts school this upcoming year. If they play sports or even run around at recess, you know that their bodies can be taking a beating. Let me also mention that kids are sitting more and more at school, they are loading their backpacks with more books for homework. All these extra strains put stress and pressure on the spine and nervous system. That’s one of the biggest reasons your child may be having back pain or headaches when they come home from school.
Chiropractic for kids doesn’t hurt. It’s quite different from mom and dad’s chiropractic appointment. We use very specific and gentle techniques to care for children. On infants and young children, the adjustment is as light the pressure of the pinky finger. Most parents state that their children actually enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a higher level of health while under chiropractic care.
So the next time your child complains about pain in his back or legs, think twice before you respond to him, “Oh it’s just growing pains.” Teach your children early to respond to their body when it sends them cues. Just like with their education and talents, the more care and time you invest in your child’s health and wellbeing, the more it will come back to them in the future.
Dr. Jared Newman is a Chiropractor and Internal Health Specialist at Newman Chiropractic and Wellness in Encinitas. Feel free to give us a call(760) 634-0245 or check out our website www.NewmanChiroSD.com
