|
|
PEDIATRIC CARE
|
There are many reasons why parents seek chiropractic care for their babies
|
Undetected Nerve Dysfunction associated with birth trauma may result in
|
What does the Chiropractor do?
We assess your babies nervous system, hips, spine and cranial-dural system for interference. We help restore balance and function using very gentle and specific adjustments and also advise on neurodevelopmental exercises that can be done at home.
It is every parent's nightmare - your precious newborn in obvious distress and you can't figure out how to help them. The suffocating array of parental advice may leave parents confused! Upto 40% of babies suffer from colic. In a study conducted in UK, crying in babies receiving chiropractic care reduced by 50%.
Chiropractic care is very safe for children and infants when applied appropriately. We modify techniques to suit the age, anatomy and unique physiology of babies. Many randomised control trials have shown chiropractic care can help babies who cry excessively. Being unable to soothe an inconsolable baby can be quite distressing which may be due to infantile colic. In one study researchers showed that babies who received chiropractic care cried significantly less than those who did not receive care.
Over recent years a number of studies looked at the safety of chiropractic care for children and infants. These studies overwhelmingly suggest that chiropractic care can be safely provided to even the youngest members if our community.
It is every parent's nightmare - your precious newborn in obvious distress and you can't figure out how to help them. The suffocating array of parental advice may leave parents confused! Upto 40% of babies suffer from colic. In a study conducted in UK, crying in babies receiving chiropractic care reduced by 50%.
Chiropractic care is very safe for children and infants when applied appropriately. We modify techniques to suit the age, anatomy and unique physiology of babies. Many randomised control trials have shown chiropractic care can help babies who cry excessively. Being unable to soothe an inconsolable baby can be quite distressing which may be due to infantile colic. In one study researchers showed that babies who received chiropractic care cried significantly less than those who did not receive care.
Over recent years a number of studies looked at the safety of chiropractic care for children and infants. These studies overwhelmingly suggest that chiropractic care can be safely provided to even the youngest members if our community.
|
BREASTFEEDING_______
For many mums and babies, breastfeeding can be a real challenge. Australian research published in 2006 suggests that epidurals given during childbirth can result in difficulty establishing breastfeeding. The results showed that of 1280 women, those who had had an epidural were less likely to fully breastfeed their infants in the few days following birth and they were more likely to stop breastfeeding in the first 24 weeks. We know that 80-90% of mums try to breastfeed at birth. |
Breastfeeding
There are lots of reasons why mums give up
Babies that are breastfed are less likely to suffer from ear infections and tummy bugs. They’re even less likely to develop asthma and other conditions that can be life threatening. Nature knows best and that BF is the optimal form of nutrition for infants.
Chiropractors see babies to help improve the way their body and nervous system functions so they can get the best possible start in life.
Spending 9 months growing in mums tummy can be really cramped, before baby is even born the pressure they’re under in the mums uterus can cause changes to the way their bones move and fuse together or the shape of their skull. Then the strains baby faces during delivery either through the birth canal or from forceps, von tuse or other forms or assisted delivery can cause injuries to baby spines, nervous system and joints that doctors and parents may not even be aware of.
Successful breastfeeding relies on multiple complex movements that involve the spine and jaw. Babies with breastfeeding problems often have imbalances in the way their spine and jaw is working.
We also know that chiropractic care has a positive impact on the way the spine and jaw works. So it's possible that chiropractic care may help with breastfeeding problems.Newborns may experience subtle birth-related trauma to the spine and/or cranium even from a normal vaginal delivery. A complicated birth, perhaps due to poor in- utero positioning, increases the likelihood of forceps and suction being utilised, and/or emergency caesarean. Birth trauma is exceedingly common. Successful breastfeeding depends upon intact nerve supply. Three cranial nerves primarily govern the mechanism involved with suckling as they control the tongue, soft palate and throat.
Cranial and Cervical subluxations/misalignments of the bones of the skull may
- Sore nipples
- Inadequate milk supply
- Baby has issues with latching or suckling
Babies that are breastfed are less likely to suffer from ear infections and tummy bugs. They’re even less likely to develop asthma and other conditions that can be life threatening. Nature knows best and that BF is the optimal form of nutrition for infants.
Chiropractors see babies to help improve the way their body and nervous system functions so they can get the best possible start in life.
Spending 9 months growing in mums tummy can be really cramped, before baby is even born the pressure they’re under in the mums uterus can cause changes to the way their bones move and fuse together or the shape of their skull. Then the strains baby faces during delivery either through the birth canal or from forceps, von tuse or other forms or assisted delivery can cause injuries to baby spines, nervous system and joints that doctors and parents may not even be aware of.
Successful breastfeeding relies on multiple complex movements that involve the spine and jaw. Babies with breastfeeding problems often have imbalances in the way their spine and jaw is working.
We also know that chiropractic care has a positive impact on the way the spine and jaw works. So it's possible that chiropractic care may help with breastfeeding problems.Newborns may experience subtle birth-related trauma to the spine and/or cranium even from a normal vaginal delivery. A complicated birth, perhaps due to poor in- utero positioning, increases the likelihood of forceps and suction being utilised, and/or emergency caesarean. Birth trauma is exceedingly common. Successful breastfeeding depends upon intact nerve supply. Three cranial nerves primarily govern the mechanism involved with suckling as they control the tongue, soft palate and throat.
Cranial and Cervical subluxations/misalignments of the bones of the skull may
- affect the neurological function of the cranial nerves (e.g. pressure on the hypoglossal nerve as it exits its canal may result in dysfunction of the tongue)
- alternatively alter the necessary motion of the cranials and jaw for effective sucking
- alter sympathetic nerve function by influencing blood flow to the skull
- affect nerve reflexes responsible for creating normal suckling
- create increased tension on the outer covering of the spinal cord (dura), which may influence cranial nerves as they exist through this covering; this in turn alters the end organ function of these nerves (eg. muscles of the oesophagus, stomach and intestine are influenced).
|
HEAD SHAPE
_______
A healthy brain requires good movement of the skull and spine! When this movement is impaired, brain and nerve function may also be impaired. If your child’s head looks uneven or if you notice flat areas; this may indicate restrictions between the skull, the soft layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. Sometimes children have nerve and spinal distress that results in their head being tilted to one side so that one ear sits higher than the other. At other times a child’s head may be rotated or turned more to one side where they display a preference for having their head turned one way. It is important to appreciate that a misshapen head is not merely a cosmetic issue; it is most likely a brain stem issue. Anomalies of shape may be one of the first indications that your child is susceptible to developmental delay. |
How does a child's skull and spine get out of shape?
1. Lack of Alignment of the Mother's Pelvis
Literature shows that misalignments of the spine and skull may be caused during pregnancy due to a mother’s pelvic distortion (misalignment of the bones of the pelvis) or the position of the baby within the uterus.3 Previous accidents (e.g. motor vehicle, cycling), falls (e.g. off horses, down stairs) or poor postures may have allowed the joints in the mother’s pelvis to move into awkward positions. When the joints of a mother’s pelvis do not sit correctly, the layers of muscles, ligaments and other connective tissue that surround a growing baby are pulled out of shape, creating an uneven tightening of the uterus and limiting how a baby moves within the pelvis. As a baby grows bigger their movement may become significantly inhibited as the tissues become more restrictive. As a baby grows bigger this restriction of movement creates more distress for the developing spine and nervous system.
2. Birth TraumA
Spine and nerve distress can arise from restricted or abnormal positioning in the uterus and also from the journey through the birth canal or during the delivery process itself. According to Gutmann,4 a researcher who examined the effects of the birth process, “the trauma from the birth process remains an under-publicized and therefore significantly under-treated problem.” There are many factors that can cause birth trauma, including false labour, a long or very short labour, failure of the mother’s cervix to dilate, the use of drugs to increase contraction intensity, the use of vacuum extraction or forceps, caesarean section delivery, cord around the baby’s neck and foetal distress. While nerve irritation can be caused with assisted deliveries, even straightforward vaginal births can create vertebral subluxations if the baby’s head and neck are not tucked under fully to allow for even distribution of the forces associated with labour contractions.
3. Other Physical Trauma
A newborn’s spine is extremely vulnerable and poor handling by adults or older siblings may be another cause for vertebral subluxation. In fact, subluxations occur throughout life, particularly as we learn how to walk, ride and climb. Other physical causes for subluxations include accidents during contact sports, activities such as skate-boarding and sur?ng, sustained postures with electronic equipment and poor posture in general.
It is best—whether your child’s head is odd-shaped or not and whether their head sits unevenly or not—to have their skeletal system checked as early as possible by a chiropractor or osteopath. A chiropractor’s focus is not aesthetics; their aim is to help increase the neurological function of your child.
It is best—whether your child’s head is odd-shaped or not and whether their head sits unevenly or not—to have their skeletal system checked as early as possible by a chiropractor or osteopath. A chiropractor’s focus is not aesthetics; their aim is to help increase the neurological function of your child.
COLIC & CRYING BABIES
|
_______
Colic affects up to 40% of children worldwide. A crying baby is not only stressful but heartbreaking for parents. Infant colic cause both physical and psychological symptoms in parents leading to marital tension, social disruption and child abuse. Colic is defined when a baby cries inconsolably for more than three hours per day, more than three days per week, for longer than three weeks. The causes for infantile colic are still unknown and traditional medical intervention is often ineffective. The traditional medical management for colic involves prescribing drugs There have been many research studies that have looked at the effects of chiropractic care to help babies with colic. Parents were asked to complete a 10-day ‘crying diary’. The findings from this study suggest that even without chiropractic care crying time reduced. However, babies under chiropractic care cried up to 3 hours less compared to those who did not receive care. Further, this study found that excessively crying babies were (at least!) 5 times less likely to cry if they received care, compared to not receiving care. So it’s very likely that chiropractic care really does help at least some babies who are suffering from colic. |
10 REASONS PARENTS TAKE THEIR BABY & CHILD TO A CHIROPRACTOR
|
|
ADD & ADHD
|
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
|
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
|
ADD (attention deficit disorder)
ADD (attention deficit disorder) is the widely recognised term for what is really a subtype of the disorder known as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which is comprised of three different subtypes. ADHD types 1,2 and 3 are developmental disorders that occur as the result of an imbalance between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, in particular a deficiency/weakness of the right brain compared to the left. This often occurs as the result of a delay in maturation of particular areas of the brainstem and right cortex during normal development or as the result of injury to the right hemisphere of the brain causing a delay in functioning on that side. Many times people get confused about the terms ADD/ADHD because they believe them to be two completely different conditions. However, they are all related to the same right cortical imbalances but at differing degrees/with a different number of affected pathways, which is what distinguishes them from one another.
There are three forms of ADHD:
· ADHD Type 1: Inattentive type (commonly known as ADD)
· ADHD Type 2: Hyperactive type
· ADHD Type 3: Combined type (commonly known simply as ADHD)
Through careful examination (which includes not only physical examination but a thorough review of birth, infancy, mother’s history during pregnancy, family history, as well as any relevant information up to the day of the examination), we are able to determine the areas of the brain, brainstem, vestibular system and cerebellum that are deficient and form a treatment plan. Treatment may consist of chiropractic adjustments specifically targeted to increase rates of firing in the right cortical hemisphere in addition to functional neurologic therapy which consists of a variety of optokinetic/eye movement exercises, balance and control work, right brain stimulating physical exercises, right brain stimulating music and light therapy, tracing/pointing therapy, among various other forms of right cortical rehabilitative exercises.
There are three forms of ADHD:
· ADHD Type 1: Inattentive type (commonly known as ADD)
· ADHD Type 2: Hyperactive type
· ADHD Type 3: Combined type (commonly known simply as ADHD)
Through careful examination (which includes not only physical examination but a thorough review of birth, infancy, mother’s history during pregnancy, family history, as well as any relevant information up to the day of the examination), we are able to determine the areas of the brain, brainstem, vestibular system and cerebellum that are deficient and form a treatment plan. Treatment may consist of chiropractic adjustments specifically targeted to increase rates of firing in the right cortical hemisphere in addition to functional neurologic therapy which consists of a variety of optokinetic/eye movement exercises, balance and control work, right brain stimulating physical exercises, right brain stimulating music and light therapy, tracing/pointing therapy, among various other forms of right cortical rehabilitative exercises.
BIRTH INJURY
A birth injury is any type of harm to a baby that occurs during or near the time of birth. Some birth injuries are minor and leave no lasting impact, others can result in permanent disabilities.
SIGNS OF BIRTH INJURY
- Colour of baby's skin is pale or blue
- Baby has slow breath or heart rate requiring resuscitation
- Baby is sluggish or lethargic
- Baby feels stiff (hypertonic) or floppy (hypotonic)
- Baby doesn’t express interest in feeding or the baby has difficulty feeding and latching
- There are odd movements in the baby’s face, arms, or legs or the baby favours one side of the body (head tilt)
- The baby has low APGAR scores
- Abnormal neonatal reflexes (baby fails to respond to loud noises, doesn’t grasp onto objects etc)
SIGNS OF BIRTH INJURY IN CHILDHOOD
- Learning disabilities
- Behavioural problems
- Motor impairments
- Speech-language disorders
- Seizure disorders
- Cerebral palsy (CP)
- Microcephaly
- Sensory processing disorders
- Vision and hearing impairments
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON BIRTH INJURIES?
While there are many different types of birth injuries, some of the most common birth injuries include the following
- Brachial plexus palsy injury to a group of nerves that control arm and hand movement. It most often arises after a vaginal delivery with shoulder dystocia. The likelihood of complete recovery depends on the severity of the birth injury.
- Caput succedaneum swelling of soft tissues in the baby’s scalp. It is more common in babies delivered with vacuum extraction. Caput succedaneum usually resolves without issue.
- Cephalohematoma bleeding that occurs under a cranial bone. Usually, they go away within a few months, but serious cephalohematomas can lead to complications such as jaundice and can be a sign of more serious birth injuries.
- Clavicle or collarbone fractures especially common in babies who were born breech or whose deliveries involved shoulder dystocia. Healing usually occurs quickly, but it may be necessary to limit the baby’s movement.
- Facial nerve palsy/paralysis which may result from temporary nerve bruising. However, if it is due to a nerve tear, surgery may be needed to fix it.
- Head trauma (bruising or lacerations) from passing through the birth canal and forceful contractions. The birth-assisting tools forceps and vacuum extractors can also cause head trauma. The severity of head trauma can vary greatly (see below).
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) a type of brain damage caused by birth asphyxia (oxygen deprivation around the time of birth).
- Cerebral palsy (CP) can be caused by complications such as birth injury, birth asphyxia, birth trauma, and infection.
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) damage to the brain’s white matter.
- Other types of brain damage such as to the basal ganglia or cerebral cortex.
- Seizure disorders/epilepsy can be caused by birth injuries such as HIE, birth trauma or infection.
- Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs) often accompany other issues such as cerebral palsy or epilepsy.
BEDWETTING / NOCTURNAL ENURESIS
|
_______
Research has shown 10 weeks of chiropractic care reduced the frequency of bed wetting. Some kids reduced their wet nights by 50% Bedwetting also known as nocturnal enuresis is the involuntary loss of urine at night in the absence of disease at an age when a child could reasonably be expected to be dry. As many as 25% of kids may regularly experience this and is associated with a host of additional problems such as being teased, low self esteem and reluctant to have sleepovers incase they wet their bed. In a clinical trial the children who received chiropractic care improved significantly. 25% of kids who receive chiropractic care actually improved by 50% or more over the course of the study, which is great improvement over only 10 weeks! |
|
ANXIETY
|
_______
Although Chiropractic doesn’t directly treat anxiety, we know that chiropractic care changes the function of the prefrontal cortex in the brain. Chiropractic can help the body to better regulate itself. Have your ‘Brain Conductor’ fine tuned with Chiropractic care. |
The prefrontal cortex is the ‘conductor’ of your brain and is directly involved in the regulation of:
|
OUR
DOCTORS
|
_______
Dr Karen Singh Pediatric Chiropractor I have always had an interest in pediatric chiropractic care but after the birth of my son, I really started to appreciate the innate intelligence and healing abilities of the human body. My pregnancy was beautiful and my labour was progressing naturally, as we went through the final delivery phase he got stuck. My son was born with left shoulder dystocia and erb's palsy due to pelvic outlet constraints and the birth process. 10 minutes after his birth, I was told he may never have full function of his left arm. This was one of the most testing and crucial times of my life, my perfect son was incapable of latching and breastfeeding due to the neck and cranial irritation unable to lift his left arm. Within 2 hours of his birth he had his first chiropractic adjustment and subsequent adjustments daily for the first 4 weeks of life. In 3 weeks he recovered completely from the shoulder dystocia and erb's palsy. This is a true testament to the power of the innate human intelligence we all possess and the power to heal given the right environment. |
RESEARCH
A study by Gutmann examined more than 1000 infants and concluded that approximately 80% of all newborns had some form of nerve dysfunction.
Dr Abraham Towbin, a Harvard University pathologist, found evidence of common spinal injury as a result of the birthing process. The trauma effects he examined included evidence of intracranial haemorrhage, brain contusion, damage to the nerves that govern respiration, and vertebral subluxation in the upper cervical region. He also discovered spinal injury in many cases of SIDS (cot death) and respiratory conditions.
Dr Towbin quotes an earlier study by Matthew Duncan, who determined that it took 90–140 pounds of pulling pressure to produce spinal damage and stated that this amount of pressure is not uncommon in the normal delivery process. Towbin writes, “Spinal cord and brainstem injuries often occur during the process of birth but frequently escape diagnosis. Respiratory depression in the baby is a cardinal signal of such injury. In infants there may be lasting neuro- logical defects reflecting this primary injury.”
Towbin found that brainstem and spinal injuries at birth are essentially attributable to excessive pulling, bending and twisting, with the subsequent bleeding into the space around the spinal cord being the most frequent indication of spinal injury. He reported that when this occurs, the nervous system's respiratory centres are damaged, leading to respiratory depression, shock or even death.
Even after vaginal births, 4.6% of term babies suffer unexplained brain bleeds and up to 10% suffer brain inflammation. These pathologies may possibly be avoided by decreasing distortion of foetal skulls, from pelvic misalignments at delivery.
Dr H Biedermann, a medical doctor from Belgium, has been advocating the importance of spinal examinations for newborns for over 40 years. He found that, “Case histories of over 135 babies with strain of the muscles at the base of the skull revealed that a significantly high proportion of these babies suffered birthing injuries due to prolonged labour and the use of extraction devices.
A study investigated the link between caesareans and forceps births with head injuries in newborns, and found that babies delivered with the aid of surgical intervention are at a greater risk of head injury than babies born by natural childbirth. As part of this study, researchers reviewed data on 583,340 babies born between 1992 and 1994. One third of these babies had been born with the help of surgical procedures such as vacuum extraction, caesarean section or forceps, and were therefore three and a half times more likely to suffer intracranial haemorrhage compared with children who were delivered naturally.
Upledger found a clear connection between obstetrical intervention and cranial subluxation, leading to learning disabilities.
Chiropractic adjustments in the early stages of neurologic imprinting appear to safely and effectively address the craniocervical dysfunction and help restore natural, efficient suckling patterns for infants who are unable to successfully latch.
