Children and babies

Most people are very surprised that chiropractors treat children and even babies. We can all imagine the stresses and strains on a baby's back and neck whilst it is being born - especially if forceps or suction is used. Add to this the stumbles, falls and knocks of growing up, and it is no great surprise that little ones can get spine problems too.

If your child regularly complains of pain in a certain area of the neck and spine it is very likely that they actually have a problem. This is often put down to "growing pains" and can become a lifetime problem if it is not dealt with early. We very often see patients who can remember having back pain is a child and found that it never actually went!

Something else to be aware of is that a problem high in the neck can commonly mask itself as earache. If your child has recurrent ear pain it could be worth checking this out to make sure there are no red herrings! Children usually respond very quickly to chiropractic treatment, which is always provided at a level which suits the individual. Different techniques are used depending on the age of the child.

Apart from actual spinal pain, these are some of the common symptoms which can be helped with Chiropractic.

* Colic is a very disturbing and frustrating problem for many young babies (and their parents!). It is often linked to a neck and upper back problem and seems more common in babies where delivery was long or difficult or involved forceps. Colic babies often tend to turn their head to one side whenever they lie or sit in the car seat, and may only seem to feed well from one side.
Research suggest a better than 90% success rate with chiropractic treatment, which usually occurs within 3-4 treatments. The babies often enjoy being treated and having their neck massaged - and the parents enjoy getting a good night's sleep.

* Recurring middle ear infections are often caused by a blockage of the Eustasian tube, which drains the ears and sinuses. This will cause a build up of fluid, which gets easily infected. The tube may be blocked by pressure from the top of the neck and can often be relieved with gentle manipulation of this area.