Chiropractic and the growing child - a vital connection
One of the most common things we hear regarding chiropractic for children is; my child has no pain, so why would they need to be checked? Thinking medically, this argument sounds reasonable, however it ignores the fact that pain is often the last symptom someone experiences while the problem is developing. A lack of symptoms is also not the definition of being healthy.
When a younger child complains of pain for more than one day, there’s likely a problem that needs attention. Children may develop a problem one day just for attention, but will tend to forget the next. Also following an injury, it is sensible to have a child checked, even if outwardly there is no obvious damage / injury.
INDICATORS TO LOOK FOR
There are 5 simple changes you can notice that are indicators that your child should be checked:
1. Sleep difficulties / changes
2. Digestion problems
3. Elimination changes (toilet)
4. Balance / coordination issues
5. Concentration difficulty
From birth until around 20 years of age there are considerable developmental changes that take place. All are under the ultimate control of the nervous system, working with the various hormones that take you from baby to grown adult.
We now know that issues with spine function alter the capacity of the brain to ‘hear’ what the body is doing, and therefore reduces the quality of interaction with the environment. Said another way, your child’s ability to adapt & grow is adversely affected when the spine moves poorly.
So as your child changes physically, emotionally and socially, the ability to adapt to each of these new challenges is vital for a well-rounded individual to appear at the end.
GOOD MOVEMENT STIMULATES GOOD BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
When we are born, the portion of our brain behind our forehead is not developed. It is called the prefrontal cortex. It is said to only be fully developed by the early to mid-20s. Why is this relevant then? The prefrontal cortex has many important functions:
1. It moderates your behaviour, keeps you calmer, and prevents you from over-reacting
2. Helps in rational decision making, like finances, planning for the future
3. Involved in building memories
4. Language, attention & learning
5. Coordination of physical responses in relation to the environment
6. Your perception of pain
The stimulation needed for this development comes primarily from movement, especially of the legs and of the spine. This means if your child is not physically active and if there are functional issues with the spine, then the physical development of the brain may not occur as best it could. Due to the differing hormones, this is especially important for boys. This could be noticeable with poorly controlled or inappropriate emotions, attention issues, a tendency to make risky decisions, speech / learning / memory challenges. The inability to make complex decisions may also show up.
As with all things, early identification and prevention is far better than treatment once it’s already developed..
SCOLIOSIS
The spine when viewed from behind should be straight, if it curves to either side and when significant enough, this is called a scoliosis. Many people have minor curvatures, but not big enough to be called a scoliosis. Commonly this occurs during the adolescent years, with no medical reason identified.
From a chiropractic perspective it’s useful to think of growth speeds, and that perhaps not everything grows at the same rate. Whether that is muscle, soft tissue, bones or even the nerves. It’s reasonable then that with different growth rates, various pulling forces would cause the spine to be bent and rotated. As mentioned since growth is ultimately controlled by the nervous system, chiropractic can play an important role to maximize function before, during and after growth spurts, to minimise the chance of a scoliosis developing, or progressing. There is also a valid theory that sleeping on the back increases the chance of a scoliosis developing.
CHIROPRACTIC FOR CHILDREN
We modify our techniques to suit the age of our patient, irrespective of age. The frequency of care will reflect the individual's needs to restore and maintain good function, based on the initial assessment. Falls, aches and pains are common events while growing up, ignoring them is where many problems start that we only start to notice as we get older. It’s important to remain responsive to the varying needs of a growing child, and to support the development of the young person who is your child, and not just the physical body that they have.