You might think right off the bat, “why would a kid need an adjustment”? That’s a fair question. It might seem a bit odd to adjust a kiddo when they haven’t been working for 20 or 30 years. What do they have to complain about, right?

But then when you consider the activities and lifestyle of the typical kid these days you’ll realize they are under a tremendous amount of physical, emotional and chemical stress. Maybe more than any other time.

In my office I care for whole families. More and more children are coming in with complaints of lower back pain, neck pain, headaches and more. It used to be that children would come in on a wellness basis, just to keep their spines healthy so they don’t have problems later in life. Anymore with increased intensity of year-round sports, sitting for several hours at a desk, tech neck from 1000s of text messages and video games; they have the potential some very significant problems.

But Chiropractic is only for adults, right?

Kids have a spine just like adults, with the same number of bones, discs, and potential for problems. Some would argue that kids are prone to bigger spine issues as pain is perceived differently in children, they adapt as fast as the weather changes and many parents may rely on forms of healthcare that do not put a big emphasis on spinal care as a health essential. (Pst…..did you know that spine issues are the leading cause of disability worldwide? Maybe we need to make spine care a healthcare essential????)

So many times, when a kid is developing a spine problem they won’t even complain about it because it doesn’t feel the same as an adult problem. However, for the proactive parents, the beautiful thing is that children have a great window of opportunity while their bodies are growing to make sure that they have a properly aligned and strong spine heading into adulthood. Change is a lot easier in children.

Are chiropractic adjustments safe for children?

Chiropractic is very safe for children. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association advocates for the safe chiropractic care for children through training and research articles. Of course, because of a more fragile nature of a child they need to be adjusted differently. You want to make sure that you work with a chiropractor who has experience in adjusting children. The goal of the adjustment is the same; correct the problem and do it comfortably. The style of adjusting the doctor will use should achieve results but be very comfortable to the child so that we don’t associate pain and fear with healthcare. We don’t use a

How can I tell if my kid needs to be evaluated by a chiropractor?

It really isn’t that hard to figure out if your child needs to be checked by a chiropractor. First you need to understand that chiropractic has a massive impact because it focuses on the spine and nerve system. Because your nerve system influences the health of every tissue in your body, a chiropractic adjustment can have a whole-body effect. However, some of the many complaints that parents bring their children into a chiropractor for may include, but not limited to: back pain, headaches, neck pain, athletic injuries, athletic performance, sleeping issues, ADHD, seizures, bed wetting, emotional issues, sensory processing challenges, digestive problems, posture, auto accidents and more.

Another thing that you can do is look at their posture. When it is bath time or at the pool look at your child’s posture form behind. Is their head straight ahead or rotated to one side slightly? Are their shoulders level? Do you notice any curves in their spine? Are the muscles more prominent on one side over the other? Are their hips uneven? Do their knees align different from one side to the other? Does one foot flare out to the side where the other doesn’t?

If you see any of these posture manifestations or suffer from any of the above symptoms or you just want to ensure your child’s spinal health, you should have your child evaluated by a qualified Fort Collins chiropractor.

At Inner Vitality Chiropractic, Dr. Jeremy, a trusted Fort Collins Chiropractor, has help thousands of families care for their children. If you would like a complimentary consultation call us at 970-300-2166 or schedule here.