WHY CHILDREN NEED A SPINAL CHECKUP
“How can a chiropractor help my child? His back doesn’t bother him.” How many times have chiropractors seen parents ensure that their child has regular check-ups for their hearing, teeth, and eyes but never bother to have their child’s spine checked? Reality is that a spinal check-up is probably the most important check-up your child could have.
Your child’s spine is his/her lifeline. Running through it is the spinal cord, which contains billions of nerve fibres that send messages and energy from the brain to every cell in their body. If there is blockage of any of the nerves along the spinal cord, any nerve damage at all, then a state of “dis-ease” will develop. Disease means dis-harmony in the body that will cause generalized weakening of your child’s body, lowered resistance to disease, and consequent body malfunction and sickness.
Nerves that are blocked within the spinal column are caused by an inability of the bones of the spine (vertebrae) to move properly. These are called vertebral subluxations. Chiropractors are specialists who are trained to locate and correct subluxations, much like only dentists find cavities.
Many stresses in a child’s life can cause subluxations. The first place is the birthing process. As your child grows they fall, jump, run, play and experience many forms of trauma.
Because your children may have spinal subluxations and not know it, all children need periodic spinal checkups. There are certain warning signs indicating that the spinal column may be out of alignment: one hip or shoulder is higher than the other, hyperactivity, frequent falling, a foot turned in or out ( foot flare ), neck tilt, one leg shorter than the other, chronic fatigue, “noisy bones” or joint aches, headaches, skin conditions. Some other indicators are increased allergies, colds and flu, asthma and ear infections. A recent study of 332 children showed that chronic ear infection sufferers under chiropractic care had no more infections in 80% of the cases. (JCCP, Vol.2.No.2 1997)
The health concerns of your child are obviously very important. Having a healthy spine can eliminate numerous health problems as your child grows. Spinal health has been shown to be at least as important as proper nutrition. A healthy spine is absolutely essential. You or your children may be carrying subluxations and not even know it. Having a spinal check-up can make the difference between a life of strength, vitality and health as compared to a life of disease, disability and weakness.(Used with permission from Atlas Chiropractic Systems)
