The benefits of Chiropractic for children, adolescents, and teenagers

Kids of all ages play sports, dance, play outside in playgrounds, and other physical activities. These are generally pretty physical activities, and kids will get their “bumps and bruises” along the way. These are the important years of physical development, especially of the skeletal system. In addition, these are the years where our children are sitting more than ever, due to being in school and studying when they get home. When you combine the peak years of activity, a rapidly changing body and skeletal system, and the inevitability of falls, injuries, etc, it almost makes no sense not to take your young ones to the chiropractor to have them evaluated. 

This list may not cover all the benefits of chiropractic, but certainly some of the most common responses we hear from our patients at Nandish Chiropractic.

• Faster Healing – The spine is part of the central nervous system (CNS), so proper alignment can lead to other systems in the body working more efficiently. The more efficient the body works, the faster it can heal itself. When it comes to kids, illness and injury are just part of life, and chiropractic care can help protect them long-term.
• Less Pain – This reason isn’t specific to children, but it’s still a great reason to bring your kids to the chiropractor. Part of our job as chiropractors is to properly align the spine, which often relieves tension, pain, and discomfort. You may experience less pain in the neck and back, find you have fewer headaches and even a reduction in joint pain. These pains are also experienced by kids, and chiropractic can help them manage that pain in a natural way.
  
  
• Fewer Ear Infections – If you’ve had a young child, you probably know the struggle of ear infections. Parents who take their kids to the chiropractor often report a healthier body overall and fewer ear infections. Some even claim that ear infections are gone for good. If your child suffers from chronic ear infections, give chiropractic a try.
  
  
• Improved Sleep – Now this one really is for both you and your child. When your child’s body is more comfortable, they may have an easier time falling and staying asleep. This is imperative for growing bodies, but also for parents who could surely take advantage of some extra shut-eye!
  

In addition to all the things mentioned above, another reason to bring your young child to the chiropractor is to evaluate them for scoliosis. Scoliosis is simply a lateral curvature of the spine when looking from behind. The reason that it is vitally important to get this checked out as soon as possible is that it is easier to make changes to a spine that is still developing and growing, versus an adult’s that is already completely formed and very difficult to change. Like many conditions, the early detection of scoliosis is of crucial importance. 

Back and neck pain can be common in both adolescents and teenagers, as most are sitting in classrooms all day. In addition to this, this age group tends to have very poor posture. The increased use of cell phones and computers in the classroom generally lead to poor posture, as children tend to slouch at their desks and hold their head in a forward position when looking at their cell phones. This tends to lead to children losing the normal C-shaped curve in their neck, and developing a straight neck. Technology makes our lives easier, and our posture worse. However, like scoliosis, the loss of the cervical curve can be reversed with early detection. 

If you would like to get chiropractic care for yourself or are looking for a pediatric chiropractor, join us at Nandish Chiropractic. We are committed to the health and wellness of you and your family. ​Children have mandatory dental check ups, why not get their spine and nervous system checked too?

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References

Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore (NY). 2009 Sep-Oct;5(5):290-5. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.002. PMID: 19733815.

Marchand AM. Chiropractic care of children from birth to adolescence and classification of reported conditions: an internet cross-sectional survey of 956 European chiropractors. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2012 Jun;35(5):372-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2012.04.008. Epub 2012 May 22. PMID: 22627100.