What Are The Benefits Of Chiropractic Adjustments For A Newborn?

When it comes to caring for your newborn and keeping them happy and comfortable, as a parent you will try almost anything. Something many parents are unaware of is how beneficial chiropractic adjustments can be to achieving a relaxed newborn.

Chiropractic care for infants is something your family chiropractor can discuss with you as part of a holistic approach to providing optimal care for babies.

Why Would A Newborn Need A Chiropractor?

It may be tempting to think that as a brand new baby there is nothing to be gained by or no necessity to seeing a chiropractor. In reality, babies are just as susceptible to issues caused by a misaligned spine or joints.

Ensuring your baby’s nervous system and body are able to function effectively is the key to not only providing immediate comfort, but integral to their long-term, healthy development.

What Are the Benefits of Newborn Chiropractic Care

The health benefits of newborn chiropractic treatment cannot be understated. Through gentle adjustments and manipulations, your highly qualified and licensed chiropractor can help to treat common ailments experienced in newborns such as:

– Correcting a misaligned spine or minor injuries that can occur during the process of birth.

– Pain and discomfort from pressure placed on joints during delivery.

– Poor sleep habits due to ear or neck pain.

– Difficulty latching during a feed.

– Torticollis – where the baby favors tilting their head to one side over the other which can lead to a flat spot or a misshapen skull as they grow.

– Gastroesophageal reflux or GERD in which the vertebra may be irritating the nerve which suppliesthe stomach and impairing the nervous and digestive systems from functioning properly.

– Colic symptoms, gentle manipulation of the digestive tract have been shown to ease discomfort caused by gas in an immature digestive system. A survey of chiropractors showed it to have positive effects in up to 9/10 colicky babies in restoring normal function. As any parent can attest a baby with colic is incredibly distressing on both parents and the child making chiropractic therapy a great option.

– A reduction or elimination of ear infections by keeping the eustachian tube draining. Gentle manipulation of the muscles surrounding the eustachian tube can help to dilate them and remove pressure from the area. Allowing the tube to drain freely and improve its function.

– An impaired immune system. A newborn’s immune system is already working hard to get up to speed and adequately protect the body. If the nervous system or spinal cord is unable to function properly due to compression, this will have a negative impact on the immune system.

Early adjustment through gentle spinal manipulation ensures all aspects of the body are working well, can restore normal function, and help ward off infection or allergens.

Beyond early infancy, early intervention through professional chiropractic care can also help your child’s ongoing growth and development. Their posture will be better and with proper spinal alignment, their back and neck will be stronger. This better supports a child to learn how to sit, stand, crawl and walk in line with their developmental milestones.

Newborn Chiropractic Care: Where Is The Evidence?

While there are no large clinical studies regarding the benefits of chiropractic care for newborns, there are many case studies showing vast improvements in infants.

These studies can be found at https://icpa4kids.com/research/publications/2020-2021/. The ICPA is the organization which trains and leads research of chiropractic with infants, kids and pregnancy.

What You Need To Know Before Taking Your Child To A Chiropractor

It is important to note that seeking chiropractic treatments for your infant should form part of an overall holistic approach to newborn care.

Your chiropractor cannot make guarantees regarding the outcomes of treatment and may still refer you to seek additional specialist advice or medical treatment if they feel it is warranted.

Just as we are all unique in personality, so are our bodies. It is for this reason that the same adjustment or correction used on one infant, may not produce the same results as it did on another.

Choosing Your Infant Chiropractor

It is absolutely essential that your pediatric chiropractor is properly qualified and has experience in working with newborns. Always check that your chosen practitioner is licensed and registered with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Speaking with other moms in your area is also a great way to connect with trusted chiropractors specialized in helping infants.

Keep in mind that an adult chiropractor that offered you care during pregnancy (or pre or post-pregnancy) may not be qualified, or interested in working with children. Only ever allow treatment from a specially trained and skilled chiropractor for infants.

What To Expect During Treatment – How Chiropractors Treat Newborns

The approach taken towards treating a newborn is entirely different than that used for an adult. Rather than an adjustment, with infants is more accurately a correction.

To begin with, a detailed consultation will take place during which time all aspects of the infant’s health and areas of concern will be discussed. The birth and any difficulties experienced during delivery will also be discussed.

This is followed by a thorough physical examination in which the infant’s reflexes and developmental milestones are checked to ensure they are in line with neurologically normal ranges. A spine and joint assessment will then identify any motion restrictions.

A formal care plan will be developed through discussion with the parents, necessary corrections will be made and all follow-up appointments scheduled. To see optimal results, a series of treatments is necessary rather than a one-off appointment.

Why Work With Us?

At Foundations Spine and Well-necessities we are passionate about offering exceptional and genuine holistic care to our community. Our mission is simple: Improve the lives of our community one family at a time.

We have years of experience helping patients of all ages create a foundation of great health that helps them enjoy life to the full. We greatly enjoy working with infants and supporting their parents during such a special time of life and ensuring your baby is happy and developing well.

For comprehensive, compassionate care from skilled industry professionals, contact our friendly team today on (847) 512-3963.

FAQS

Are chiropractic adjustments safe for babies?

Yes, when carried out by a qualified and highly skilled chiropractor that specializes in working with infants, there is no risk to your baby. The risk of injuries or ineffective restoration of health is only present when working with an unqualified or inexperienced chiropractor.

Will a chiropractic adjustment help my baby sleep better?

Issues with sleep are one of the leading reasons many parents seek the help of a specialized chiropractor for babies. A chiropractor for infants can help promote better sleep by reducing pain or discomfort caused by spine misalignment, reflux, infantile colic, torticollis, and more.

At what age can a baby see a chiropractor?

A baby is able to safely see a chiropractor anytime within the first few weeks following birth. Of course, it is recommended to rest at home immediately following birth and allow yourself and your baby time to adjust and recover.

Can a chiropractor help my baby poop?

Surprisingly, a chiropractor visit may in fact help your baby poop! Through gentle manipulation and adjustment of the spine and soft tissue of the abdomen constipation and digestive issues can often be resolved.

This is largely due to the role the nervous system plays in digestion and the way in which a subluxated spine can impair its normal function.

Can a chiropractor help settle a fussy baby?

If your baby is fussy due to colic symptoms, recurrent ear infections, sleep issues, digestive issues, or similar, a chiropractor may indeed be able to help.

Will the manipulative therapies used on my baby hurt them?

No, not at all, there is no cracking or excessive movement of the baby’s limbs during treatment. Through very gentle soft tissue therapy, pressure is applied much like testing the ripeness of a piece of fruit.

In our experience, some babies may cry due to the unfamiliar environment and their existing discomfort, but instantly relax following a correction.