Your baby’s spine, the housing and protection of their nervous system, will double in size by the age of 2. Since the brain, spinal cord and nerves controls your baby ‘s immune, digestion and respiratory systems, it is important to be sure that their spine develops correctly.
Many parents are unaware that an infant’s first trauma to their spine and nervous system most likely occurred during the birth process. With forceps and vacuum extractors or the use of the doctor’s hands, the newborn’s neck can be over-stretched and twisted causing their first spinal misalignment.
During their first months, the simple things that are done for them; changing diapers, lifting, and carrying, using car-seats and infant carriers, potentially increase unhealthy stress to your baby’s spine. The doctors of Serenity Health Chiropractic are trained to gently examine and care for your child. Many parents report that after beginning chiropractic care for their infant they have seen less symptoms of colic, reflux and ear infections, as well as improved sleep patterns.
Raising a Healthy Child and Beyond
A parent’s desire is to have a well-balanced and healthy child; however, the true definition of wellness is achieved by actively pursuing a state of well-being. Wellness is more than just an absence of infections and colds, but the expression of health, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The nervous system controls and coordinates everything in the body, including development and healing, so it is important to make sure that a child’s nervous system is working properly. The spine is the most common place in the body that can interfere with the nervous system, causing dysfunction.
There are three windows of time in which your child’s spine go through major stages of development. The first of these is birth through age five. The second window of development is five years to the ten years of age. During this time, your child will begin school and spend recess climbing and monkey bars, sliding down slides, playing sports, and generally leaving themselves open to repeated falls and tumbles resulting in their own spinal injuries. Finally, at age ten to fifteen-years-old, your child’s spine will go through its last stage of development. During this final stage, your child’s spinal growth will be greatly affected by most if not all the following: improper backpack loading and carrying, poor posture, an inactive or sedentary lifestyle, overuse of hand-held devices, repetitive sports movements, and typical sports injuries.
It may be possible that you missed these windows of opportunity for care, but it’s not too late; your child or teenager can always benefit from Chiropractic care.
No health challenges? No problem! Chiropractic is a great way to keep the body functioning at a high level to prevent problems from developing. Many parents are choosing wellness chiropractic care for their infants and entire family. The Doctor of Chiropractic is the only healthcare professional that acknowledges and supports the body’s inborn ability to express its own wellness.