A child experiences significant physical stress during growth. The first thing a developing spine goes through is the position it is forced to adopt in the womb.
Many women will have heard that foetal positions such as breech or transverse presentation can cause problems during delivery. What is less well known is that such positions also affect the spine of the foetus.
Even during a normal delivery, a great deal of pressure is exerted on the baby's body. A caesarean section may seem less traumatic, but the opposite turns out to be true.
Complaints in a newborn baby can be related to irritation of the nervous system caused by blockages in the spine.
Of course, the above complaints can also have other causes. The chiropractor always assesses whether treatment is appropriate.
As many as 10–15% of all newborn babies cry excessively and are inconsolable. This is often accompanied by drawing up of the legs, clenched fists and arching of the back.
Crying babies are 0 to 3 months old, cry for at least 3 hours per day, more than 3 days per week, and for longer than 3 consecutive weeks — usually in the late afternoon or evening.
This excessive crying can cause stress and can disrupt the bond between mother and child in ways that have lasting effects for years. The crying is often an expression of pain, for example from intestinal cramps, allergies or blockages in the spine.
It is often said that excessive crying tends to resolve on its own around the age of 3 months. However, blockages that affect development may still be present even if they are not outwardly apparent. It is therefore advisable to have children older than 3 months examined by a chiropractor, especially if they cried a lot as a young baby.
A frequently mentioned problem in children is KISS syndrome (Kinematic Imbalances due to Suboccipital Strain). This syndrome encompasses a wide range of complaints that can occur in babies and children, including excessive crying, preferred positioning and arching.
Sometimes the complaints are more vague. All of these complaints arise from a blockage in the area of the upper cervical vertebrae and the compensatory adaptations the body makes as a result.
It is always necessary for the chiropractor to examine the entire body, as problems in the neck can also originate from movement restrictions in the pelvis.
Babies frequently reaching for their head and ears is also something commonly observed. This is often attributed to ear infections, even when none are found.
Movement function high in the neck plays an underlying role in the development of ear infections. Tension on the Eustachian tube in the ear, caused by a blockage in the neck, can impede drainage of fluid from the ear, leading to infection.
By resolving the blockage in the neck, the Eustachian tube can drain ear fluid freely again.
Treatment of children is not the same as for adults. The physical examination is carried out in a playful way, following a thorough consultation with the child and parent(s), after which treatment can take place.
The chiropractic joint corrections used are tailored to children and are virtually painless. Children generally recover faster than adults, so treatment frequencies are often lower — though this depends on the complaints and the patient. The chiropractor will propose a suitable personal treatment plan.
Neurological chiropractors have been treating children of all ages for over 100 years. Neurological chiropractic is highly effective and, above all, very safe for children. Treatment consists of gentle pressure techniques to correct blockages and is not comparable to treatment for adults.
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