The chiropractic profession is often misunderstood, but that is especially true when the topic of chiropractic and children is discussed. We are very different from mainstream medicine in that we do not treat symptoms. We look to find the cause of an individualís dis-ease (note: this is very different from disease).We base all that we do upon the following knowledge ñ the nervous system is the master controller of the body, and communication needs to run from the brain down the spinal cord passing through 31 pairs of spinal nerves to every cell, tissue and organ in the body. If the message is interfered with, all sorts of communication errors can arise. Long term disruption of the nervous system (chiropractors call this a subluxation) can result in a symptom: headache, colic, inability to nurse well or sleep well, low energy or ear infections, to name a few common ones. Regardless of the end result, all roads to optimal health lead back to the bodyís ability to self-regulate and function at an optimal level.The birth process is a traumatic experience and can cause neurological stress that goes undetected the majority of the time. Why not make sure your child is functioning at his/her optimal health from the very beginning? Why wait until the problem has been around for so long that the body finally produces a symptom to get your attention? That is all a symptom really is ñ an alarm going off to clue you in to a problem ñ the symptom is NOT the problem.In our office we have seen babies with colic, constipation, upset tummies, earaches, problems sleeping and even on medications at 9 days old. We do not treat symptoms, although a symptom is commonly what prompts a new patientís first visit. Each time a parent visits our office with a child exhibiting symptoms, we remind them that many times the symptom is an expression of the inability to function as optimally as possible; while, sometimes, it is exactly what the body needs ñ as in the case of a fever or runny nose. We believe that preventative care is possible by keeping your nervous system running at an optimal level ALL the time.A chiropractic adjustment for an infant or young child is more like applied pressure than a firm thrust, as many adults may be familiar with. Safe, gentle techniques are used when we work on these precious little ones. More often than not, we have reports of babies exploding into their diapers, sleeping through the night and just being overall happier after an adjustment because we are able to stimulate the nervous system to heal.Not all children need a chiropractic adjustment, but they all need to be checked; otherwise, how will you know if there is stress on their nervous system? The stress is not always noticeable, just like you donít know that you have a cavity until the pain begins. Often, the stress can present as decreased immune function, asthma, an ear infection or even failure to thrive. Chiropracticís goal is never to treat these symptoms, but rather reduce interference to the nervous system so the body can begin to heal itself properly.The full potential of each and every child is a precious thing and what we all want for our children. Having your childrenís spines checked regularly will teach them to learn to listen to and take care of their bodies.If every parent understood the importance of having a properly functioning nervous system, and that a chiropractic adjustment removes stress to that system, no parent would ever think twice about having their child checked after birth and throughout life.For more information, call 719-494-1395 or visithttp://palmer-chiropractic.com; http://falconchiro.com
