Parents will often ask me, “Do you adjust kids?”  The answer is “yes, all the time!”  But more importantly, I try to teach parents why it is important for children to get spinal check ups and adjustments.  So often we view kids as highly resilient, flexible, and unaffected by the forces that are endured by them every day.  Let’s take a look.

The first subluxations in life often occur during the birthing process.  The head, spine and entire body undergo a tremendous compressive force when passing through the birth canal.  Often the head is rotated dramatically to facilitate the passage of the shoulders.  This will often cause a subluxation in the cervical spine.

From birth to age two, the spine will double in length.  As children learn to walk, they will probably fall at least ten times a day.  If you or I fell that many times we would be in the hospital!  Everyday activities/impacts such as riding a bike, jungle gym, wrestling, sports, jumping, and falling, all have the potential of causing the spine to become misaligned.  Of course, as they become bigger and taller, these impacts grow in proportion to the growth of the child and force of the impact.

If the spine does become subluxated (misaligned), this can lead to structural problems and nerve interference, which can affect development.   Some advanced signs to look for include: complaints of pain, favoring one side over the other, change in walk, high/low hip height, high/low shoulder, toeing in or out, poor posture, and head tilt.

If you see any of these signs, have the child evaluated as soon as possible.  If check ups and maintaining spinal health sound like a good idea to you, then we would welcome seeing your whole family!

Call our office to set up your kids wellness check 480-704-1954.