Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s (ICPA) ground breaking study, “The Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic: A Survey of Chiropractors and Parents in a Practice-Based Research Network,” was published in October 2009 in the prestigious, biomedical journal, Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. The objective of this study was to describe the practice of pediatric chiropractic, including its safety and effectiveness.

 The results of the study determined that the indicated primary reason for chiropractic care of children was “wellness care.” The most common reasons for parents seeking symptom relief care were muscles conditions, ear, nose, throat, respiratory and digestive disorders. Out of 577 children, doctors reported only 3 adverse events. Out of 239 children, parents reported only two adverse events. These events were minor discomfort after the adjustment and were readily resolved with continued adjustments. All children remained under chiropractic care. Both parents and doctors indicated a high rate of improvement with respect to the children’s presenting complaints. In addition to these improvements, respondents reported better sleeping patterns, improvements in behaviour and improved immune system function while under chiropractic care.

 Dr. Joel Alcantara, ICPA Research Director and presenting author said, “This paper shows the preliminary results of the ICPA’s Children’s PBRN – Phase One. Phase two is well under way and we have initiated similar research pertinent to pregnancy. We are pleased that a major CAM Journal respects the importance of chiropractic care for children and we foresee greater collaboration with the CAM community on the importance of chiropractic care for children.”

Dr. Jeanne Ohm Executive Director of the ICPA says, “I am pleased to be affiliated with an organization dedicated to chiropractic family wellness research. It is wonderful to see research substantiating the safety of chiropractic care for children and the overwhelming satisfaction of parents with children under care.”

The ICPA is the oldest and largest pediatric organization in the chiropractic profession. Their mission is Research, Training and Public Education on behalf of family wellness. To find out more about chiropractic and children or to locate a doctor who cares for children visit www.icpa4kids.org

Reproduced with permission from: http://www.icpa4kids.com/Press_Releases/2009_Sept_Childrens_Phase_1_Press_Release_.html

Copyright © 2009 International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) all rights reserved. All or part of this message may be retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any communal purpose, posted on a website, or used in any non-ICPA publication (other than that of an ICPA affiliate) without the permission of the ICPA.

Interference comes by way of vertebral subluxations.

Sometimes a misalignment can be mistaken for a vertebral subluxation. For a example, sometimes it is thought that a vertebral subluxation can be seen on an x-ray.

That is incorrect. Only a misalignment can be seen on x-ray, whereas a vertebral subluxation has a far-reaching effect greater than that of a simple bone out of place.

B.J. Palmer cleared up this confusion in the early 1930s when he found that vertebral subluxations have five components to them. They are:

1.) Malposition – This simply means misalignment of a vertebra
2.) Occlusion – This refers to the closing off of an opening that a nerve passes through. In our case, we are referring to the neural canal where the spinal cord travels down.
3.) Pressure – When C1 is misaligned, this can occlude the neural canal near the brain stem. This can cause pressure or tension on the cord at this level.
4.) Interference to flow of nervous system transmission – With a misalignment, an occlusion, and pressure, there is zero chance for the nervous system to properly communicate to the rest of the body.
5.) Three-directional torqued vertebra – To achieve these four components of vertebral subluxation, the C1 vertebrae has to shift up or down, left or right, and rotated front or back.

What causes a vertebral subluxation?

Stress. Pure and simple. Various forms of stress bombard our bodies on a daily basis. If not dealt with properly, they can and will manifest themselves in the form of a vertebral subluxation. For intensive purposes, I will discuss three forms of stress: physical, emotional, and chemical.

Birth Trauma

Many times during a hospital birth, a doctor or nurse-midwife will grab the baby’s head and tug and twist until that baby is yanked free. And we haven’t even mentioned forceps, vacuum extraction, or c-section yet.

The C1 vertebrae is the most unstable vertebrae in our spine, connected only by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. With any kind of extreme twisting, turning, or yanking, that vertebrae WILL misalign in three directions, which will result in occlusion, pressure, and interference.

Doctor spanking baby

Beyond birth, once the baby begins crawling, standing, walking, running, and climbing, he/she will fall literally thousands of times by the age of four. My eight month old falls every few minutes. I know because of her lovely shrieking each time it happens.

As we get older, and get into sports, or exercising, or just plain old every day life, injuries occur. For example, getting tackled in football, smacking into the fence while trying to catch a pop fly, slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk, getting T-boned by a semi in a busy intersection, etc. Even natural everyday motion such as walking can have a negative long term effect. Years and years of gravity pulling down on your body will take its toll.

The point is, we can’t afford to go through life without at least getting checked for interference to our nervous system. We haven’t even addressed emotional or chemical stress yet, but physical stress beginning at birth and continuing on into adulthood can and will have long-term devastating effects on your overall well-being.

[Article By:  Dr. Brandon Harshe on March 9, 2010 http://theatlasoflife.com/2010/03/09/trauma-thoughts-and-toxins-vertebral-subluxations-part-1-physical-stress/]