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Infants & Children
From the moment of conception, the growth and development of a baby is one of life’s most incredible processes. A baby grows from two small cells, evolving at an incredible rate over the next nine months before birth.
The nervous system is so important, that the first cells to form at about 7 hours after conception are the brain and spinal cord. The heart starts to beat at 24 days and the eyes are formed at 36 days. The nervous system gives commands on how everything is formed and controlled just as in an adult.
Stress: Birth and Growth
Babies are subjected to a range of stress from conception to childbirth, and during their early years. The birthing process, even though completely natural, can be a very stressful event for both the mother and baby. There is an enormous increase in the pressure on the baby’s spine and body during the final stages of labor. If the baby presents head first, then the head, neck and spine help cope with compression.
If the baby’s head and neck is slightly in the wrong position, this causes large amounts of spinal stress. With little muscle development for protection, small misalignments in the spinal joints, called subluxations, can develop.
In the real world the infant grows rapidly. During the transitional stages of growth like learning to sit, crawl and walk; the child can be subjected to other stresses such as trips and falls, which can cause subluxations.
Chiropractic: When should an infant get checked?
As soon as possible! After a traumatic event, such as birth, all babies’ spines should be assessed for presence of a subluxation. Babies cannot communicate their pain, so a subluxation causing nerve interference can lead to various childhood symptoms that you as a parent may notice;
Some common symptoms associated with subluxations in infants:
• Ear infections/ tonsillitis
• Colic/unsettled after a feed
• Reflux
• Lack of appetite
• Constipation/straining to pass stool
• Sensitive neck to the touch
• Allergies/skin conditions
• Feeding only from one side
• Forceps/vacuum or Cesarean delivery
• Poor sleeping/infant won’t settle
• Infant favors one side with head, arm or leg
• Bald spot on the back of the head
There are numerous studies that have shown that children under Chiropractic care had superior health with fewer infections, allergies and required less medical intervention (references available on request).
The Gonstead Adjustment: The correction!
The only way to specifically correct these subluxations are by hand with the Chiropractic adjustment. Gonstead Chiropractors focus on locating and specifically correcting the subluxations. As the problem has existed for far less time, and there isn’t any longstanding muscle tightness, the Gonstead adjustment is comfortable and effective for the infant. Infants only require a very slight and gentle adjustment, and generally respond very quickly.
Uncorrected problems in childhood become significant problems in adulthood. Give your infant the best possible chance to a healthy life by having their spines checked by a Gonstead Chiropractor!
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