Chiropractic Care for Kids in Edina

A child's nervous system is the controller and regulator of all the other systems in their growing body. From blood flow, to brain function and bone growth, the nervous system plays a central role in keeping things working and healthy. Stress and misalignment of the spine can have serious impacts on your child's overall health, behavior, and development. Awaken Life Chiropractic is a chiropractic clinic that offers gentle and non-invasive therapy that works to correct underlying issues before they become hard-wired in during development, providing support for a pain-free and successful childhood.

---

Pediatric Chiropractic in Edina

It may be difficult to imagine that a child would need chiropractic care. They seldom complain of chronic pain the way adults do and their bodies appear to be made of rubber in the way they bounce back from injury. The truth is, children's bodies are under a lot of stress while they are in a state of development and keeping them healthy requires maintenance.

Stress and trauma to the body and spine commonly begin with the birthing process. Infant’s spines can easily become misaligned from the intense pressure involved in both natural and Cesarean births. Unfortunately, other than crying, they have no way of communicating their pain, and it's source, to us. Throughout infancy they may sleep in awkward positions, and occasionally take a tumble. As children, they grow into toddlers who strain, and twist, and fall, while learning to crawl and walk. Luckily, they are very resilient and can take a lot of impact, but it is not uncommon for these injuries to develop into patterns of movement that will pull a child's bones out of alignment over time.

As kids, they may start to develop bad posture. Sitting in front of a computer or TV can have serious repercussions on the spine. Playing contact sports, wearing heavy backpacks (most likely the wrong way), and even sitting in desks can all cause issues. As teenagers, they begin to deal with the stress of more daily responsibilities, like becoming part of the work force, and use their bodies to perform physical labor such as painting houses and serving tables.

As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities throughout development for a child's body, and particularly their spine, to become out of alignment which will affect other aspects of their healthy nervous system function and development.

---

Why do baby's and young kid's go to the chiropractor?

First of all, birth is tough. For the mother and for the baby. There are a lot of pressures and forces being exerted onto your baby during their journey into this world. A recent study (by Viola Frymann, an American osteopathic doctor, demonstrated that 90% of newborns suffered the effects of birth trauma: strain through the neck and cranial areas following birth. She studied more than 1,500 babies within the first 5-days of birth and then periodically across an 8-year period.

While each birth is unique, in it's many forms it can be quite traumatic. There is always a chance that the baby suffers varying degrees of strain and trauma. Even the most naturally, non-medicated, births can results in trauma that goes undetected. As researcher G. Gutmann has written, "The trauma from the birth process remains an under-publicized and therefore significant under-treated problem."

Here is a list of things that can cause undetected strain and trauma for your baby:

• Very short, fast labors
• Very long, strenuous labors
• Use of Pitocin to strengthen / induce uterine contractions
• Pain medications
• Restricted maternal birthing positions
• Pulling or twisting on the head to deliver the infants body
• Use of forceps or vacuum
• Cesarean delivery

Left uncorrected, this trauma reduces the healthy function of the nervous system and continues to impact a baby's natural growth and development. 65% of your baby's neurological development (development of the brain, spinal cord and column, nerve pathways) occurs within the first year of birth. This shows us how important and imperative is it to ensure that your baby has every opportunity possible to maximize their nerve function during this critical period of their life.

Left uncorrected, this can cause many health challenges later in life that could easily have been prevented. Nursing difficulties, sleep issues, inability to be soothed, and so many more are all potential signs of nerve dysfunction and stress within infants.

Although all infants should be checked after birth, there are many signs to bring your baby to a pediatric chiropractor:

• Birth trauma
• Breathing difficulties
• Colic
• Constipation
• Difficulty latching/breast feeding
• Failure to thrive
• Fussiness
• Misshapen head
• Reflux/spitting up/digestive problems
• Sleeping issues
• Torticolis (head is stuck to one side)
• ..and more

---

How Can I Tell If My Child Needs Chiropractic Care?

A child's spine can become quite misaligned without any awareness on their part of pain or discomfort. Children have not always developed enough awareness of their bodies to identify a subtle chronic issue developing. Even when a child is experiencing pain, they may not be able to communicate it to you and it can come across as grumpiness, acting out, or incessant crying. Issues with the spine can also be the source of many other childhood issues.

---

What is Chiropractic Care for Kids?

A chiropractic treatment for a child begins with an extensive examination to determine the exact issue and the best route for treatment. Even if your child is too young to communicate, or too shy, a chiropractor has the skills to work with them to find out exactly what is going on before proceeding with treatment, if it is determined treatment is needed. Gentle and non-invasive adjustments are then made to the spine. Children will often become relaxed and even fall asleep following treatment, a good sign that it has been effective. If you are concerned about your child's spinal health, call our team at Awaken Life Chiropractic to set up a consultation today.