How do we determine if a child has subluxations?

Well, only an exam by a chiropractor experienced or specializing in pediatric care can reveal this condition.

When a beloved pet is sick or injured, he can’t tell the veterinarian what’s wrong. The same is often true of our little children.  So, we have to observe carefully.  Infants and toddlers will do things like tugging at their ears, crying or using all the words they have to try and show us something is wrong.  They may also have unexplained tears, lack of appetite, lethargy and allergies.  Newborns and infants will sometimes show a preference to hold their head and neck to one side and may even cry or fuss when encouraged to alternate breasts during feeds.  They may exhibit similar signs during diaper changes.

But if we don’t know what to look for or how to help, it can make us as parents feel very helpless. 

Subluxations are often found, particularly in the upper neck, in children who suffer from chronic earaches.  We find that the subluxations interfere with the body’s ability to drain bacteria and fluid out of the inner ear, and that can lead to infections.

Traditional treatments usually involve the prescription of antibiotics like amoxicillin, but even the American Academy of Pediatrics is asking pediatricians to hold off on this kind of treatment.  Although the antibiotics may cause a temporary resolution of symptoms, the infections seem to come back time after time, natural immunity becomes compromised, and the medications can cause other problematic signs such as yeast infections, intestinal problems and bacterial resistance.  The latter is the most worrisome because this means that antibiotics may not work when they are truly needed later on for a serious health condition.

In addition to ear infections, chiropractic is well-documented in its helpfulness for children suffering from colic.  When subluxations are corrected, children tend to sleep and eat better.  And that’s great for everybody!

Fortunately with chiropractic, there are no unpleasant side-effects and it helps the body do what it was designed to do and that is to heal itself naturally.

As kids grow, their ability to explore and manipulate their surroundings becomes more complex.  They are more able and willing to take risks and that can mean accidents.  Slips and falls happen.  A patient of ours once said, “Dr. Erica, you just can’t call yourself an experienced parent until you’ve spent at least one night in the ER with your kid waiting for stitches to be put in.”  We laughed about it but only because this is such a common experience of childhood and parenthood.  Stitches, kisses, and hugs can give a lot of comfort, but they don’t address what is happening to the spine.  Dr. Erica likes to say that it is a good thing that kids “bounce”, but uncorrected subluxations can lead to real problems later on.  This is why regular check-ups are crucial during periods of rapid growth.