Pediatric Chiropractor in New Berlin, WI
Pediatric Chiropractic Treatment at New Berlins Top-Rated Chiropractor
It may not seem like your child needs to see a chiropractor regularly, simply because they don’t have the same aches and pains adults do and tend to bounce back from an injury pretty quickly. In reality, your child’s body is under a tremendous amount of stress as they continue to develop. This means, their body requires regular maintenance to stay healthy. Chiropractic care for infants and children is a gentle, safe, and effective way to ensure your child is in optimal health.
Get Relief From Pediatric Back Pain
A child’s first subluxation can occur during the birth process. A C-section, vacuum extraction, or forceps use, can all cause spinal misalignment. Even natural birthing meds can twist or pull an infant’s spine out of alignment.
Children live very active lives, have small adventures, and tend to fall often. They can also strain their necks and backs at school, due to poor posture or a heavy backpack, recreational sports, or other types of physical activities.
Chiropractic treatment for children is similar to the care provided to adults in that the chiropractor will use natural treatments to help alleviate pain, reduce inflammation and muscle tension and improve flexibility and range of motion.
Symptoms of Pediatric Back Pain
Spinal misalignment may not cause any immediate symptoms, which is why regular checkups are important. Pain is typically the last symptom to show up. Sometimes, parents think a child’s complaints of pain are merely growing pains. Only an experienced chiropractor can identify a subluxation. Scheduling a wellness visit is recommended to allow a chiropractor to identify any issues before they can turn into major problems.
A child that is experiencing back pain due to a misalignment may not be as active, may have trouble sleeping, may be unable to participate in sports, wear their backpack, or sit or stand for long periods of time.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Children’s Back Injuries
A chiropractor can identify the underlying cause of back pain and treat it effectively, without the use of medication. Spinal adjustments can restore range of motion in extremity joints and the spine. When motion is restored, muscles will cease splinting or guarding, pain receptors will settle, and inflammatory processes will decrease.
This will alleviate pain and encourage the healing process.
What to Expect at Your Child’s Chiropractic Appointment
When you take your child to their first chiropractic appointment, you’ll need to answer questions about your child’s issues with ongoing back pain, what their average pain level is, any symptoms they have, changes in sleep and behavior, and anything else you have noticed that caused you to schedule an appointment. You’ll fill out paperwork and include any medical issues your child has and your family’s medical history. Based on this information, a chiropractor can determine the appropriate course of action specific to your child’s situation and needs. This can include lifestyle changes, exercises, and spinal adjustments.
Initial Evaluation
The next step is a physical examination of your child’s spine. Our chiropractors can identify any spinal misalignments or problem areas, before recommending treatment.
Treatment is tailored to each patient’s unique circumstances and needs. Our chiropractors offer gentle, safe adjustments that are appropriate to the child or infant’s cranium and spine.
Adjustment
Spinal adjustments for children to correct misalignments involve very light fingertip pressure. This amount of force is usually sufficient to restore mobility to the locked joints in the spine that are causing pain, discomfort, and interfering with nervous system function. In some cases, an adjustment can make a popping sound when the joints are moved. Other techniques used may involve the use of handheld instruments that offer gentle and specific correction.
Post-Treatment Care
After an adjustment, your child may feel some muscle soreness and mild discomfort. Your child’s chiropractor will go over aftercare instructions with you and discuss what you can do to relieve mild muscle soreness after treatment. Typically, they recommend using an ice pack. Fortunately, muscle soreness is often gone by the following morning.
Preventative Pediatric Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic treatment not only alleviates back pain, but it can improve overall bodily function. Regular treatment can ensure optimal health and well-being and can prevent back pain in the future. Based on the chiropractor’s findings after they have examined and adjusted your child, they will recommend how often your child would benefit from treatment. Depending on the severity of the subluxation, the underlying cause, and other factors, your child may require adjustments once or twice a month, or as often as weekly, for the first few months.
Make an Appointment With Our Doctor
At Advantage Chiropractic, we want to help your child thrive. If your child is experiencing back pain or you’re interested in learning more about regular maintenance visits, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Common Questions Parents Have About Pediatric Chiropractic Treatment
Is Chiropractic Treatment Appropriate for Children?
Safety is a common concern regarding any type of pediatric care. Chiropractic treatment for children of all ages is safe, natural, and effective.
What is a Good Age to Go to a Chiropractor?
Many chiropractors will provide treatment for children when they are a few months old, although this can vary. Some chiropractors treat patients two years old and up and others will see infants as young as three months.
Why Would a Child Need a Chiropractor?
Chiropractic treatment can naturally treat the source of back pain in children. It can also be used to treat allergies, neck and back pain caused by injury or poor posture, trouble sleeping, and more.
How Often Should My Child See a Chiropractor?
How often your child should visit their neurologically based chiropractor can depend on many factors, such as their age, wellness goals, underlying health conditions, whether they play sports, and more. For regular routine maintenance adjustments, a chiropractor may need to see them once a month or once every two months. In other cases, they may need treatment more often.
Is Chiropractic Care Painful for Children?
No. Some children may feel mild discomfort and muscle soreness. However, this should go away within a matter of hours. Applying an ice pack to the affected area can relieve pain and reduce inflammation.