CHILDREN

Infants have different ways of expressing spinal dysfunction and this will often take the form of prolonged crying (colic), difficulty sleeping and problems with walking and later on with other related problems such as headaches, bedwetting and failure to thrive.

When you bring your child to a chiropractor he/she will take a thorough medical history and examine the child neurologically and orthopaedically. The examination is aimed to determine if spinal motion is normal or if any vertebral segments or cranial bones are locked or not functioning appropriately. The treatment usually consists of very gentle adjustments to the skeletal structure, muscles or viscera to restore normal movement and function of the body. Advice will usually be given concerning the child's posture, diet and nutrition.

Chiropractic is very gentle and safe and does not involve drugs or any other medical intervention. The aim is to establish homeostasis which is the body’s natural healing process.

Infantile Colic
This is a medical enigma and scientific research has so far not been able to fully explain why some children develop this painful condition. It is described as 'violent rhymical crying' which does not stop even when the child is picked up and for which no other medical cause is found'. It usually occurs sometime after birth and spontaneously resolves after 12 weeks. The cry is characteristically high pitched with legs pulling up to the abdomen. The child is usually healthy and has normal weight gain and appetite.

Colic from cranial strain may occur as a result of how the baby lies in utero or from a traumatic birth. Stress can be put on the baby’s head during a long labour and added strain can occur if the baby is delivered by forceps or ventouse. This is usually associated with the child only sleeping an hour at a time and very rarely on his back. The baby will be happier being upright or lying on the parents stomach. Classically, they have restricted head movement and will prefer one breast whilst feeding. They hate having someone touching the back of their neck or head, and there might be asymmetry of the shape of the cranial bones. Chiropractic care will focus on releasing the cranial tension and spinal misalignments. As the hypoglossal nerves exit the skull in this area, they might have difficulty in sucking and latching on due to weakness of the tongue. Digestive problems can be related to compression of the vagus nerve which affects stomach function.

Often the diaphragm will get tight from the twists of birth or even as a result of the rapid growth in the early weeks of life. The inner organs (viscera) and intestinal function may have some trouble getting fully established and this can cause digestive disruption causing constipation, excess gas or even difficulty with being winded. Children with these symptoms are usually fine all day until they eat. They may have difficulty in passing a bowel motion and may do so with discomfort and accompanied by loud grunting noises. Chiropractic care will focus on releasing the nerves supplying the diaphragm and abdomen but also directly works on the muscle itself. Parents can get advice on home exercises to facilitate bowel movement as well as dietary changes. Usually results are seen within a few weeks but recovery varies from child to child.

Ear Infection
Spinal joint dysfunction of the upper part of the neck can affect the nerve impulses to the muscles surrounding the eustachian tube which drains fluid from the inner ear. With spinal misalignments of the neck, muscle spasm may occur locally, which may put pressure on the lymphatic glands of the neck. This can cause stagnation of the lymph drainage and build up of fluid (bacterial, viral or inflammatory) in the ear and sinus system of the face. Chiropractic care will concentrate on gently realigning the vertebrae of the neck and relaxing the muscles along the lymphatic glands. Often cranial techniques are necessary to help the movement of the bones around the ear, face and jaw. If chiropractic alone is not sufficient, nutritional, homeopathic and dietary changes will be recommended. The speed of recovery varies depending on how long the child has been affected and how much antibiotic therapy has been given in the past.

Sleep Disorder
There is no research as to why chiropractic care can help with sleeplessness except for numerous anecdotal evidence from clinical practice. Interrupted sleeping pattern is usually as a result of pain or discomfort, hunger, fear or bad behaviour. When it occurs without any medical or psychological reason it may be due to spinal joint misalignments causing abnormal nerve messages to the rest of the body. The child may wake up for no other reason than being uncomfortable or feeling restless in his body. The chiropractic approach is to assess the spine and cranium for misalignments and associated imbalances of the muscular system.

Sinus Congestion
The most common cause for chronic cinus congestion is usually an allergy to certain foodstuffs such as dairy, citrus or wheat. It may also be linked with the environment of the household such as passive smoking or dust mites. However, sinus congestion appears to be strongly linked with cranial asymmetry of the facial and temporal bones and will often respond well with chiropractic cranial techniques. Sometimes the chiropractor will work in collaboration with an orthodontist or dentist specialising in the alignment of the jaw and bite. One of the most common reasons for sinus congestion is a high and narrow palate, and this can easily be assessed by any parent.

Asthma
Asthma affects 4-5% of the population and 30% have their debut in their first year of life, 50% before the age of two and 80% before the age of 7. Chiropractors around the world have many young patients they treat for asthma in their clinics. So far medical and chiropractic research have only shown to reduce the symptomatic outcome of asthma and there have been no objective results demonstrated from chiropractic care. However, chiropractic techniques can improve the movement of the ribcage, and thus improve the chest expansion which is so important for breathing itself. With chronic asthma a reflex muscle spasm occurs in the small muscles along the ribcage, which could make further breathing difficult and therefore apparently aggravate the asthmatic progression. Dietary, postural and exercise advice can also play an important role in the management of asthma.

Headaches in Children
Headaches may occur early on in childhood and it is rapidly becoming a frequent occurrence in young children. It is usually associated with spinal joint misalignments of the neck causing referred pain to the skull or even muscle spasm at the base of the head. There is often a trauma associated with spinal misalignment or poor posture whilst sitting on badly designed school chairs. Often chronic headaches can be associated with fatigue, depression and change in behaviour and can often be mistaken for this and medicated incorrectly. The child may have difficulty looking at the blackboard or even feel nausea at times. Chiropractic care for headaches is usually very effective providing it relates to the spine or skeletal structure, and the treatment is always in combination with postural advice and home exercises.

Low back pain in Children
Research from around the world (but mainly Finland and Scandinavia) has shown an increase in low back pain in children. It usually starts around 11-14 years old and becomes more frequent with age. There is a strong correlation with competitive sports, time spent watching television and greater weights of schoolbags. This is a health risk widely ignored by the NHS and schools as young children are not “expected” to have spinal complaints. However a study of 1242 students showed that 30:4% of children reported back pain and a third of them had restricted activity (Olsen et al.1992). Chiropractic care will always be initiated with a full spinal screening for symmetry and balance of the body. Spinal alignment and curvatures will be assessed and individual joint movement and muscular balance. The treatment may incorporate exercises and advice on how to sit in school and it is not unusual to see a chiropodist for evaluation of the posture of the feet. The earlier a child can get help the sooner he will get relief from his symptoms and learn how to look after his spine in the future.