Pediatric Chiropractic On St. Clair West
One of our greatest passions at Health Haven is to help children of all ages enjoy optimal health. Chiropractic care can help ensure that a child’s spine is aligned so that the messages flow from the brain down the spinal cord out to the body as quickly and efficiently as possible. When that communication takes place, kids may enjoy better overall health.
Why Chiropractic for Kids?
There’s an old saying, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” When there is an imbalance in the child’s spine, the spinal column will grow with that imbalance, and this can lead to postural problems and other issues related to an imbalanced nervous system. This is why we believe it is important to have your children’s spinal column checked, and adjusted if needed, regularly throughout their growth and development.
Many parents report that childhood issues like colic, chronic ear infections, bedwetting, latching difficulties, headaches and other physical ailments have been reduced and helped when they have had their spines aligned with chiropractic care.
Today we often see many kids with postural issues like Tech Neck and other issues related to being on their electronic devices, sitting at desks studying and doing homework for school, and not getting enough physical activity. Postural issues respond well to chiropractic care.
The chiropractic treatment evolves with your child's growth. Our chiropractors apply the appropriate force to match your child's age and stage of growth and development.
Benefits as Children Age
Another benefit of chiropractic is that it allows us to address any issues when children are young and their problems are small. For example, your child may fall off their bike, feel ok except for a scraped knee, and get back on and go. What goes unnoticed is that they landed on their hip and pushed part of the lower spine a tiny bit. Because they don’t complain about it, as parents, we leave it untreated. Untreated tiny misalignment of the spine, over the years as our children grow and fall and get up hundreds of times, sometimes turns into big adult problems.
The wonder of childhood is that you just keep going and growing. Having your child’s spine checked and corrected throughout childhood, may give them a better chance at a pain free adulthood. Also, children recover much faster than adults; They need less chiropractic care and their spines respond way faster.
Our Pediatric Chiropractor
Dr. Jordanna Clarfield-Henry is a mom herself and enjoys caring for kids across the spectrum.
I believe chiropractic can help set up kids with good health habits to go into adulthood.
Helping Children of All Ages
Babies
As childbirth can be difficult on both baby and mom (it’s tough to get their bodies out of such a small opening!), many infants may have imbalance in their spine from the experience (whether birth is vaginal or c-section). Spinal imbalance may manifest as excessive crying or colic. Some babies can’t turn a certain way or they express discomfort in a particular position. If they’re unable to lift their head, they may have a restriction there, and be uncomfortable.
If your baby is crying and you can’t determine the source of the cries, we encourage you to bring them in so we can gently align the spine and the joints, making sure they have full mobility, and all the joints are moving properly.
Toddlers and young children
We recommend parents of younger kids observe their children looking for any gait abnormalities such as a limp or postural problems.
As younger children learn how to use their bodies they will tumble and fall many times. Because they are young, they get up and keep moving along. But these hundreds of falls may bump things out of alignment. As these tiny misalignments add up, your child may be left with some issues that don’t show up until they are older children or even adults. Getting your kids checked and aligned by a chiropractor throughout their lives may help them escape problems in later life.
Chiropractic is also beneficial in helping kids reach all of those critical milestones.
Older children/teens
As children get older, they often suffer from poor posture due to spending lots of time on their digital devices. We even see younger kids complaining about neck issues. That’s because they’re sitting hunched forward on technology many more hours than ever before in history. Sitting in school may be stimulating for the mind, but it is tough on the body and often sets up poor postural habits. Your chiropractor can give you some tips and exercises to help straighten your child out and set them up for great lifelong postural awareness and habits. Older children and teens are also participating in many sports and arts activities where they can be injured. Chiropractors can address injuries in all areas of the body, including but not limited to ankles, knees, wrists and concussion.
What to Expect
First, we will have you complete a pediatric intake form that asks questions about your child’s activities (e.g. screen time), their diet and also about the birth process. The chiropractor will perform an exam and if needed a gentle adjustment. Depending on what’s found, we will create a care plan that includes the recommended number of visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you adjust children the same way as adults?
No, only light pressure is required to adjust a child. For example, when adjusting an infant, we apply about the same amount of pressure used to check a tomato for ripeness.
Why should I have my infant adjusted soon after they’re born?
Chiropractic can gently remove any tension that may be present in your child’s spine and nervous system, allowing your newborn to experience healthy growth and development.
Is it painful to get adjusted?
No, not at all. Our techniques are gentle and appropriate for children of all ages. It’s important to note that it doesn’t take a lot of pressure or force to perform an effective adjustment.