Adjusting Infants and Children
Why is it important to check infants and children for subluxations?
Besides being the most wonderful blessings, infants and children are
just little people, with little spines made up of little independently
movable vertebrae surrounding and protecting their little spinal cords and spinal
nerve roots. Since they were fetuses, their brains have been... controlling
growth and development repairing damage when necessary controlling all of
the functions of every part, system, organ, tissue and cell in their bodies.
That control is passed back and forth between the brain and body by
their nervous systems.
Remember, subluxation occurs when individual vertebrae are moved out
of place or when the joints between them become less than perfectly
movable. Either of these situations puts pressure on the nerves and/or the spinal
cord, causing interference to the control the brain is trying to effect.
What causes
subluxations in
children?
The three common causes of subluxation
are: emotional chemical
physical
Unlike in
adults, the most common
cause in infants
and children is physical. As long as infants and children
are reasonably well-rested, cared for and nurtured, they don't really have
any emotional stresses that would cause subluxation. Similarly, with
proper nutrition, liquid intake and appropriate movement or exercise, their
metabolisms (energy and chemical control systems) should not encounter
stress that would cause subluxation. However, as their developing bodies are so
much more delicate than those of adults, physical causes of subluxation
are, unfortunately, much more frequent.
Subluxation
during the birth
process
In addition, the birth process itself is very
traumatic. Research done right here in Boston by
Dr. Abraham Towbin in 1969 proved that in even a
normal hospital birth it was not uncommon for the
obstetrician to turn the baby's head 120 degrees (that's about
halfway between the shoulder and looking directly backward), and pull with 90
lbs of force to get the shoulders presented. Not only is
this amount of rotation about 50% more than what
the adult neck is designed to allow, children don't
even have the bony structure to protect themselves
from twisting injury until at least age 7. This kind of
over-rotation and excessive pulling is way more
than enough to cause significant
subluxation.
In fact, Dr. Towbin found injury
not only to these babies' ligaments and joints, but to their spinal cord and
brain stems in some cases which led to SIDS
(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
Think about it for a second. Everybody knows that you need to be very gentle
in handling infants and support their necks because they can't even
support the weight of their own head when you move them!
Subluxation from injury When children get a little older, there are different types of physical
stresses that cause subluxation, such as falls when learning to stand and walk.
It's uncanny how babies always seem to hit their heads in falls if and when
they don't land on them directly. Then there's Uncle Oscar, tossing the
cute little tot into the air and (hopefully) catching him/her each time, and
only causing repeated whiplash trauma to the neck. There
are bouncy swings and walkers that are almost always
used too early. Tussles with siblings / cousins /
friends, childhood sports, bicycles, skates, skateboards
and scooters, not to mention falling off the chair in school
physical causes
of subluxation happen all too often!
Ariana (26 mo.)
getting checked
Ariana
getting adjusted In infants, the most common short-term symptoms are:
depressed
breathing function spasms of spinal muscles (especially in the neck) decreased control of the temperature regulating mechanism and slowed maturity of
the immune system in general. This can lead to infantile colic (a disorder or dis-ease of the digestive system which is assumed to be painful, based on
the distressed reaction the baby has to this abnormal situation).
Another
common result is ear middle infections, often caused by spasm in the neck's
spinal muscles and those of the soft palate, inhibiting drainage of the middle
ear by the Eustachian tube and the deep lymphatic system (a special
system designed to filter chemicals and swelling out of the tissues of the body).
See diagram
on right. Untreated, over a period of several years these subluxations may lead to
a variety of childhood maladies:
Repeated colds, because the immune system isn't working
as well as it could or should be. Repeated ear infections, especially if the first infection is treated
with antibiotics.
Allergies and asthma when the immune system is
unchecked properly and overreacts to irritants. Hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders when certain
chemicals in certain portions of the brain aren't made in enough supply
(not because of some tumor or inborn inability to produce enough
of these chemicals, but because the message which should be
causing production in the proper amounts is inhibited or interfered with).
How does chiropractic help these problems (or symptoms)?
It doesn't! What chiropractic does is to start the correction of the
subluxation that's causing interference in the nervous system and preventing
the brain from effecting its proper control. It is the inability to effect control of
the particular part, system, organ, tissue or cell
whose malfunction is ultimately allowing the expression
of whatever symptom is present. By reducing the subluxation,
the body can begin to function more properly
because the nervous system has regained necessary
control. When this happens it is very likely that whatever symptom is present
resolves itself naturally.
Really?
Yes! Some studies done that support this principle include:
In Scandinavia (1987), studies showed a decreased ability
to breathe with mid-back dysfunction. This study also showed
an increased ability to breathe in children with asthma after just
a few chiropractic adjustments. The CIBA Symposium (1965) and the Journal of Manipulative
and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT, 1989), showed correlation
between the subluxation and the inability to finely control
many bodily functions as well as disorders of those organs.
The Journal of Chiropractic (1980), showed that subluxation causes disruption of the immune system.
The European Journal of Chiropractic (1985) and JMPT (1989) showed that chiropractic has a
94% success rate in eliminating the symptoms of colic within 2
weeks when other treatments can take months or not work at all.
JMPT (1996) and the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic
Pediatrics (1997) showed that chiropractic eliminated the symptoms of
ear infections in 93% of cases (43% in one or two
days instead of the normal 10-day average with the use of
medicines), and was able to eliminate even the most
troublesome cases in less than 9 days.
International Review of Chiropractic (1975), and
JMPT (1989) showed that chiropractic was 20 to 40
times more effective in decreasing the symptoms of hyperactivity and attention
deficit than the use of the most common medicines for such problems.
Andrew (6½ yrs.) getting adjusted
When should my child be checked for subluxations?
Infants can be checked and adjusted (have a chiropractor begin the
correction of any subluxations) just after birth. A schedule of care is
usually recommended thereafter just as the child's pediatrician does on a
regular basis. Once it is clearly established that the child is free of subluxation,
visits can be less frequent. That is, unless there is any question of injurious
stress to the child's spine or until he/she begins to stand and walk (when
the frequency should again increase).
How do you adjust a baby without hurting it?
There are many ways to accomplish this, and all are extremely gentle!
The style I prefer is to allow the spine to move freely and to apply a
minute amount of pressure to start the correction. The amount of pressure is
about the same you would use if you were checking a tomato in the store to see
if it was too soft to buy.
The bottom line is that we all experience subluxations at all stages in
our lives, no matter if you're a newborn or 112 years old,
today is the best day to get checked for subluxation
and adjusted if necessary! Sean Paul (9/½ mo.) getting checked Sean Paul getting adjusted
What are some of the possible symptoms of subluxation in
infants and children?