Dr. Smith is an experienced keynote speaker for a variety of topics including pediatric/parenting topics, healthcare social media and physician leadership. I found myself in the same position with an eight-month-old baby. That was 8 years ago. ... Having a check-up with a chiropractor Wall NJ through these times is good for the child's general health and their growth and back and neck pain. After medical school, a pediatrician completes a three-year residency program where they participate in the care of children full time. Is it safe to take my baby to a chiropractor? Must be due to spinal-alignment problems from the trauma of childbirth. I am a physical therapist, and I, too, often get questions about chiropractic care. While there is undoubtedly pediatric information sprinkled throughout the curriculum, that is the only structured time dedicated to learning about children’s health. Another risk is possible harm by missing a diagnosis or having a diagnosis delayed due to failure to seek care. “As a mother, this is pretty disturbing and bothersome,” she says. Equipped with this knowledge, doctors of chiropractic can now educate, inform and assure parents with a new level of confidence that chiropractic care is very likely to be safe for children. 801 7th Ave 2. Also, chiropractic is not perfectly amenable to all research formats as most are biased towards pharmaceutical testing and the use of placebo. I appreciate the amount of personal time you have put into bringing your points together for others to read and consider. 3 and No. Does baby have colic? It may impede your child’s physical growth and delay the speed with which the child meets its phases. Anyway, in the hundreds of times I saw the chiropractor, I experienced relief perhaps 25% of the time. He's 7. If your child experiences pain and discomfort, their primary care physician is likely to suggest over-the-counter pain relievers or prescribe prescription medication. Symptoms that are listed in the article as possible evidence of a spine problem include: fussiness, uneven head shape or not liking to be laid on their tummy for babies and slow recovery from illness, behavior troubles and difficulty sleeping for older children. Doctors of Chiropractic prefer to work in conjunction alongside other healthcare providers, such as pediatricians like yourself.Perhaps a perspective shift is due on your end. In addition, the hands-on and in-the-moment teaching working with patients totals about 7,500-9,000 hours (estimating 10 hours days for 5-6 days per week). I feel your view is very opinionated. So when a parent brings their newborn to see me and asks what I think about the baby seeing a chiropractor, I have no choice but to tell them there is no evidence the treatment will be safe or have any impact on their symptoms. Words By Dr Scott Dunlop / Image by Daniela Rey, What would you do if your child rejected the gender they were born with? Many of those case studies highlight conditions that would otherwise be expected to improve over time without treatment or with minor intervention/counseling (bedwetting and poor breastfeeding). Even at a very underestimated six hours of lecture per week, that totals more than 900 hours of lectures training in the three-year period. In my experience, chiropractors are the most commonly consulted. As a parent, it’s completely natural that you may have some trepidation about taking your child to a chiropractor. It’s always best to simply ask. A lot of parents can be nervous about taking their child to see a Chiropractor. Despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to support that “spinal or vertebral subluxations” lead to the symptoms described above, it continues to be the main evidence provided for chiropractors about why their care works and, knowing what I know about the human body, I simply cannot follow the logic. Reported by ISMP (using FDA figures) was 45,610 adverse drug events reported in children less than 18 years of age. Universal benefits: why you should take your child to a pediatric chiropractor. Chiropractic care is non-invasive , gentle, and tailored to your child’s specific health condition and needs. How To Find The Best Chiropractor Near You For Pediatric Care & Advice? Top 5 Reasons To Take Your Child To A Chiropractor. As new information comes out we adjust what choices we make. 14 cases of harm from spinal manipulation does not indicate that the "manipulation" was performed by a chiropractor in every case. Instead, I’m actually indirectly discussing the issue with a chiropractor who is not in the room but providing the family advice in other venues. Tip #2: Look for the most popular Chiropractor near you.Look at how many Google reviews they have from happy clients and customers. When it comes to children and infants, chiropractic care is safe and effective for many common complaints. This is by no means a faultless process, but in most cases delivers safe and effective management. I would never, never, never see a chiropractor myself, much less take a child to one. From my experience, parents bring their children to chiropractors after a condition that typically self-resolves does not resolve in what would be considered a normal time-frame. Chiropractic care isn't just for adults. Infancy and childhood are times of rapid growth and development for these parts of the body. The chiropractor should be familiar and comfortable with treating children. Note: This article provides general health information and in no way constitutes medical advice. Finally, and most simply, I am constantly concerned about the amount of money and time that parents spend away from work or other activities when their children are sick. Now, as an adult, I have a 7 year old son who seems (to my mother) to be unfocused and a dreamer. Thank you for your message. Keep in mind that a pediatric chiropractor has undergone additional training to take care of children. Chiropractic research in kids is very weak. Why I don't take my kids to the chiropractor, Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health, More Than Half of Children Hospitalized for COVID-19 are Hispanic, Cook Children’s Patient Becomes First in North Texas Implanted With Smart Device to Control Seizures, Cook Children's Patients and Facility Dogs Celebrate Thankfulness, Mother Speaks Out After Daughter’s Close Call with MIS-C and COVID-19, Passing the Torch: Cook Children’s Pulmonologist to Retire After 41 Years of Practicing Medicine, Physicians Share COVID-19 Fears and Advice Ahead of Thanksgiving. Usually, as documented in the case studies that you disregard, there is a direct correlation to the resolution of a persistent condition and the application of gentle, non-manipulative pediatric adjustments. We finally gave in one day and after one, yes ONE, lower spine manipulation, he never had daytime wetting again. We tried diet, medication, physical therapy and he even had electrical probes attached to his bottom at a women's incontinence center in hopes of teaching him to completely void his bladder. The essence of the chiropractic approach is that spinal malalignments, or subluxations, can be responsible for a broad range of symptoms in adults and children. I appreciate your thoughts on the subject. If the practice of mainstream medicine is to follow the idea, “At first do no harm,” then I’m not convinced babies won’t be harmed by undergoing spinal adjustments. To allow a child’s nervous system and spine to grow optimally and without interference. See all Articles by Lora Davis Get Updates on Chiropractic Get Updates on Lora Davis.