Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Children

As a new parent, we worry ourselves 24-hours a day over every moment of that precious new little life, and rightly so.  This is one of God's miracles, and we realize we are 100% responsible for the opportunity that He has entrusted us with his precious little creation. You worry that they will eat too much, not eat enough, breathe too fast, you watch them while they sleep to just make sure they are still breathing...you make sure people don't get too close, and when they do that they hold their heads perfectly.  You develop a worry about everything. 

In those precious first few days, we realize the baby is getting used to a whole new world.  The baby is now having to work for food (the IV drip - a.k.a umbilical cord - is gone).  The cozy comfy warm bath has been drained, clothes have been put on and the growth spurt has kicked in.  Rarely is nursing perfect at the beginning and can be tough for both mom and baby.  Many times babies can develop colic, a reaction from momma's diet and the baby's digestive system. The babies head is leveling out from that cone shape it gets through the birth canal, and rounding out...all in all a TON of growth and movement in those first few weeks!  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to simply have your baby feel relaxed and reassured midst all this chaos?  Check out this adjustment given to a wee-little one, by a doctor of chiropractic Dr. Simon Floreani

Doctors of chiropractic believe that the body was designed to self heal and self regulate, and causing a stimulus to the nervous system, can help the brain to fire the correct messages to all areas of the body.  Rumors have spread many decades ago, and have done a great job of convincing the public that chiropractic can be a cause of (VBA) stroke.  So, I always like to go to the research and see what studies have proven. Here are just 3 quick finds...but if you search PubMed you will most definitely find many many more.

Risk of vertebrobasilar stroke and chiropractic care: results of a population-based case-control and case crossover study. Result: No Risk. Patient is just as likely to suffer a stroke after visiting the PCP as after visiting a chiropractor. 

Quantifying strain in the vertebral artery with simultaneous motion analysis of the head and neck: a preliminary investigation.  Result: No Risk. A chiropractic adjustment was less stressful on the vertebral artery than simply doing normal range-of-motion exercises.

Incidence of iatrogenesis associated with osteopathic manipulative treatment of pediatric patients.  Result: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment is safe for pediatric patients, by doctors with experience.

For me, I already did the research before children and I had full confidence in the profession of chiropractic to allow my baby boys new bodies to relax and begin to operate perfectly.  I had tremendous luck in getting them adjusted a few times their first weeks of life and it made all the difference in the world!  Here are just a few things chiropractic care helped me with:

- pull me out of post-pardum depression

- colic

- with opening his jaw evenly on either side, so we could breastfeed properly.

- mastitis (when you milk-ducts get backed up)

- their sleeping more regularly

- brain function

- ear infections

The amazing touch of a skilled chiropractor as well as the nutritionally focused chiropractor, can really make those first few weeks tolerable and even enjoyable, so my suggestion is find a chiropractor in your area who is comfortable with pediatric treatments as well as one who is an internal medicine diplomate or nutrition diplomate, and begin seeing what a difference alignment can make in yours and your baby's life today!

Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Michelle Obama gave light to a disastrous thought, yet real issue: our children in this next generation are "on track" to die 5 years before their parents for the first time in history.  I can't even fathom this thought.  When I personally heard this, tears fell...then I got to work. I am determined that my family will not fall in to this category.  Take a peak at the below image taken from the CDC:

If just that wasn't bad enough...last year, the CDC Newsroom presented a press release, “Cancers Associated with Overweight and Obesity Make Up 40 Percent of Cancers Diagnosed in the United States” with more than 630,000 in the United States affected. This report came after the National Institute of Health released news and reports from the New England Journal of Medicine that “Rates of new diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes on the rise among children, teens”, fastest rise seen among racial/ethnic minority groups.

Ladies and gentlemen we are in desperate need of new healthcare leadership, now more than ever before.  We have a HUGE opioid epidemic and an approaching obesity epidemic for our children...all while living in a very wealthy and affluent country.  We need to not believe the commercials and start taking ownership of our environment, food and healthcare.  

My suggestion just to start: 

• Start getting your kids outside a minimum of 2 hours a day
• Throw out EVERYTHING in your house that has high fructose corn syrup.  For more pantry ideas visit www.jenporro.com
• Get in to a functional medicine practitioner 
• See a chiropractor 3 times a year minimally.  These doctors will look at your entire body...head to toe...and treat each of the 9 systems as if they were housed in in the same body (they all relate to each other!) 
• Get involved in a group (a blog, website, gym, church, etc.) that will support your quest to live healthy.    

"The most important thing to know regarding health is that obesity and virtually every other chronic illness are caused by bad lifestyle choices NOT bad genes. Chronic illnesses, including obesity, are caused by living wrong for your species type, by eating, moving, and thinking in ways that do not match the human genetic requirements. The only evidence-based way to prevent or heal from unhealthy lifestyle-caused chronic illness is to learn and implement healthy lifestyle habits.  If you want to get and stay well, you must Eat Well – Move Well – ThinkWell® - you have to Live Right for Your Species Type™." 

Dr. James Chestnut