Ask the Experts: Chiropractic care

My sister-in-law is taking her baby to a chiropractor, and I’m intrigued. Is it safe for infants? What are the benefits?
A: Chiropractic treatment is absolutely safe for little ones. Because a child’s skeletal system is still developing, there is a great deal of elasticity within the joints. Light pressure is all that is needed to adjust a child’s spine, and most infants sleep through their adjustments or fall asleep immediately afterward.
Some of the first stresses placed on a child’s spinal column happen during the birthing process, and the spine is frequently subjected to repeated forces in the process of learning to walk, as well as a multitude of childhood mishaps. So, it’s important to have your child’s spine checked regularly for any signs of spinal imbalances or misalignments known as subluxations.
The nervous system is the master controller of our bodies and is vital for optimal health. If the communication channels between the nervous system and body become unclear, distorted or damaged, then we may experience all sorts of communication errors. For babies, this nervous system interference can play out as ear infections, colic or irritability, troubles breastfeeding or poor sleep habits. For a child, nerve interference may result in asthma, an inabilty to concentrate (ADD or ADHD), behavioral problems, digestive issues, headaches—the list goes on.
Fortunately, chiropractic care has seen many positive results in treating these common childhood issues. In fact, a recent study showed that children under chiropractic care suffered from fewer ear infections than those whose parents sought medical care alone.
While we may be able to help with a number of health issues, our focus is not on treating or curing conditions but rather on ensuring that the nervous system has every opportunity to communicate clearly and work effectively and efficiently. This allows our bodies to re-create “order” and coordinate healing and function at their highest level.
—Angela Price Kloss, DC, DICCP, 100% Chiropractic in Colorado Springs, Colorado