Can children get subluxated? Yes! Trauma of the birth process can lead to subluxations of the spine. More commonly subluxation of the upper spine, this can lead to difficulty sleeping or feeding issues. Other possible causes that can subluxate your child’s spine are sudden starts, stops or turns while traveling in the car, falls when learning to walk or even trauma when involved in daily playing.
Chiropractors correct misalignments in the spinal column to restore proper alignment, much like the way the dentist fixes teeth. The spinal column holds the body’s nervous system which is responsible for communication of nerve impulses to and from the brain. Being properly aligned allows the body to function properly. When bones are out of alignment this can cause interference with the nervous system. The weight of a dime is all a nerve needs to have its function altered and lowering the body’s response.
Back pain is not a common reason why children visit the chiropractor. Childhood conditions such as colic, asthma, sore throat, headaches, persistent earaches, or bedwetting are common reasons why children visit a chiropractor and have little to do with spinal pain. Unless there are obvious symptoms, such as pain, it can be hard for a parent to determine if a child has a spinal subluxation. A child complaining of back or neck pain should always be evaluated by a chiropractor. If a curve in the spine or scoliosis is becoming noticeable, this should be checked as soon as possible. Persistent earaches can be due to tight muscles from spinal misalignment in the neck. This will create malfunctioning spinal nerves that can block the flow of fluid from the middle ear creating chronic, recurrent earaches. Headaches can be caused by a spinal problem and should be evaluated by a chiropractor to determine if an adjustment is needed or further evaluation. Some signs a parent can look for indicating a spinal problem include: child’s head always turned or tilted to one side, restriction when turning the head on one side more than the other, disrupted sleeping patterns and difficulties with feeding an infant either with a bottle or breastfeeding.
Because children’s spines are so flexible, they respond quicker to adjustments than adults allowing fewer adjustments to correct misaligned spinal structures. Each child and case are different, so it can vary on the care that is needed. It is recommended to have the child’s spine checked several times a year to correct any misalignment. Leaving a subluxation can create health problems and degeneration of the spinal structures. A child is never too young to have their spine evaluated. Spinal adjustments for infants and young children require fingertip pressure followed by a gentle push and the vertebra will move back into place. Sometimes there is a ‘popping’ noise that is heard when spinal joints are moved, this sound is not always heard when children’s spines are adjusted. Chiropractic care is safe and involves virtually no risk as children have been getting adjusted for over 100 years without any incident of harming one child.
