by Dr. Chris Marrone
Did you know that chiropractic for babies, toddlers, children, and pregnant women is not just beneficial, but essential? Before we get into the specifics, it is important to understand what chiropractic is. People who have been to a chiropractor before typically associate it with neck pain, back pain or, sometimes, headaches. Chiropractic is not only great for those concerns but much more. Chiropractors work directly with the nervous system through the spine to ensure proper alignment, brain-body communication, and overall functionality. In science, we understand that the brain is responsible for controlling and coordinating every action in the body, whether it’s conscious or subconscious. The hub for all this communication is the brain and spinal cord. Interestingly, the brain/spinal cord is the only organ in the body that is fully encased in bone. The innate wisdom within us understands how vitally important the brain and spinal cord are to our overall wellbeing and ultimately to our survival. Doing our part to ensure we are protecting and caring for our spines should be one of our highest priorities.
Your spinal cord is protected by twenty-four moveable bones called vertebra. These bones are able to move so that you are able to bend, twist, and move around. Due to the spine being the core and foundation of the body, it is under constant stress throughout our day to day activities. Whether that stress is physical, chemical, or emotional depends on what is going on with us at that particular moment. When the stress becomes too much for the spine to handle, one of the vertebrae can move out of proper alignment with the vertebra above and below and get stuck there. This is called a subluxation. This term is extremely important to remember because it is the basis of what chiropractors solve. Misalignment of the vertebra is just one component of a subluxation. The second component is that the misalignment puts pressure on the nerves that are exiting from the spinal cord. This pressure then causes interference in the communication between the brain and the body, and from the body back to the brain. The end result is a decreased ability of the body to heal naturally, decreased ability to adapt to environmental and internal stressors, and an overall decrease in functionality. The chiropractor’s only job is to locate the areas of the spine that are subluxated and apply a gentle force to realign the vertebra to take the pressure off the nerve, thus improving brain-body communication, which leads to the restoration of our natural healing ability and an increase in our body ability to function.
If we understand that having our spines checked for subluxation is important, it should be of no surprise that it’s just as important, if not more important, to have the spines of our children checked as well. Often times the first subluxation we experience is at birth. The birthing process is highly traumatic on both the mother and the baby. C-section, forceps, or vacuum extraction deliveries place a huge amount of pressure on the newborn baby’s fragile neck and very frequently results in a subluxation.
The results of this can vary widely, but some of the more common symptoms are: torticollis (a condition where the muscles of the neck contract leading to the head is twisted to one side), colic (unexplained, frequent, prolonged and intense crying in an otherwise healthy baby), trouble latching onto the mother’s breast, favoring one breast over another (doesn’t want to turn head to one side due to discomfort or inability), or trouble sleeping.
The developmental process from newborn to child is critically important. We want to ensure a child’s spine is in proper alignment throughout this period. This promotes proper biomechanics and proper posture, but also has an impact on the child’s immune system as well, helping to fend off foreign invaders. Children under regular chiropractic care experience fewer sick days than children who are not. Furthermore, because chiropractic care influences proper posture and proper biomechanics, injuries from sports or other recreational activities decrease as well. Additionally, grades tend to improve because children are spending less time sick or injured and are able to focus more easily in class. As parents, we only get one chance to make sure our children grow from newborn to adult properly. Chiropractic care influences that process in a very beneficial and vital way.
If we step back in time before the baby is having your spine checked while pregnant is just as important. Your sacrum is the base of the spine and articulating with the sacrum are your hip bones, called ilium. These 3 bones make up the pelvis and the structure that the baby will pass through during birth. Throughout pregnancy, hormone levels are changing very frequently. The nervous system is responsible for controlling the release and regulation of these hormones through proper communication with the different glands. Everything that is going on within the mother’s body during pregnancy will have some effect on the growing baby as well. This is why drinking, smoking, or drugs during pregnancy cause such big problems. The stress hormone, cortisol, also has effects on the baby and can be damaging as well. Regular chiropractic care not only helps to regulate the hormones in the body, thus reducing stress levels, but also promotes proper pelvic alignment to allow for a shorter, less painful delivery process. With a pelvis that is in proper alignment, the pelvic outlet (where the baby passes through) is in the most optimal form to allow for smoother delivery of the child. Also, the motion of the joints within the pelvis allow for proper expansion of the pelvic outlet to again assist in a smoother delivery.
Putting it all together we can see that maintenance of the spine is vital throughout all stages of life. The spine houses and protects the spinal cord, which is responsible for transmitting messages from the brain to the rest of the body. If this system is not working properly due to subluxate vertebrae, the body begins to break down and function improperly. Chiropractors are the only people in the world that are trained to analyze the spine for subluxations and apply the appropriate force necessary to correct this issue. With a spine in proper alignment, the body is in the best possible position to function. This means that the body can fight foreign invaders through the immune system more effectively. This also means that the body can adapt more efficiently to various physicals stresses that occur throughout life. Overall, chiropractic is a great preventative approach to healthcare. When combined in conjunction with exercise, nutrition, sleep and meditation, the body is at its most optimal. It all starts with the decision to have your child checked so that they can develop properly and healthily. ~ Dr. Chris Morrone
Dr. Chris is the owner of Peak Wellness Family Chiropractic, a pediatric based chiropractic office in Summit NJ. Dr. Chris’s focus is on ensuring the health and proper development of children’s spines so that they may experience less injury and illness through their adult lives. Although Dr. Chris’s passion is in helping children, he sees a wide variety of ages and conditions. It is the sole mission of Peak Wellness Family Chiropractic to teach people about the detrimental effects that vertebral subluxation has on the spine. In doing this we hope to empower people to make more educated decisions regarding their health and wellbeing so that they may seek to prevent disease. If we can prevent conditions from occurring in the first place, we will lead happier and healthier lives.
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Pregnancy, Pediatrics and Chiropractic
Dr. Chris Marrone
Peak Wellness Family Chiropractic
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