Checking Furture Adults Today- Chiropractic for Children
Local chiropractor
urges routine spinal checks for children
Bedford chiropractor Dr Surinder Sandhu is backing calls
from a national organisation that parents should consider regular spinal check-ups
for their infants and children. The United Chiropractic Association (UCA),
which has 600 members in the UK and abroad, says the check-ups should be
thought of in exactly the same way as dental checks.
The UCA is highlighting the health benefits to children as
part of its 2017 Spinal Awareness Week on 15-19 May. The campaign – Checking Future Adults …
Today! – points to research where parents reported unexpected improvements in
their child’s health after having chiropractic care.
UCA executive board member Dr Jonathan Clarke says despite
it being shown that spinal check-ups can contribute towards children maintaining
a healthy body, most parents don’t know about the benefits: “It’s an awareness
issue,” he said. “Parents will get their kids’ teeth, eyes and hearing checked
as a matter of course; these are standard. But they don’t get the spine
checked.
“This could be because people think of chiropractic as a
treatment for symptoms or conditions. This isn’t the case. Chiropractic isn’t
symptom-based. It’s about enabling the individual – in this case the child – to
function at their best.
“It should be common place for you as a parent to have your
child’s spine checked so that they can keep their nervous system at its optimum
for life. It doesn’t mean that they’re going to be super-human. But what it
does do is set them up to be their very best so they are able to cope with
whatever life throws at them. Let’s give them the best chance to do that,” he
added.
Dr Sandhu agrees and explained exactly why chiropractic
works so well for youngsters: “Humans are
very mobile creatures by nature and children are notoriously active! Falls and
knocks are part of everyday life for children, in general play or in sport. These
have the potential to impact on the bones of the body, including the spine. Regular
check-ups would see if there’s anything going on that might affect their health
and gentle adjustments would be done only where necessary.
There have been recent cases nationally of children
presenting with RSI caused by using game consoles and of young people
displaying early signs of hunch back through over-use of mobile devices and the
UCA says members are noticing postural changes in teenagers: “The aim of
regular check-ups is to prevent that,” said Dr Sandhu
The UCA is also highlighting how maintaining a healthy nervous
system – the brain and spinal cord – benefits not just the spine, but overall
health. Research
led by the US-based International Chiropractic Pediatric Association looked
at the effect of chiropractic care on 812 boys and girls aged from just a few
hours old to 18 years. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 717 showing
an improvement with their presenting symptoms. Seventy-four cases also reported
improvements unrelated to their presenting complaints and described an
increased range of motion, better sleep, improved immune function and improved
patient mood. No treatment-related complications were reported.
Some parents are choosing to have their infants checked as
soon as possible after they’re born – within 2-4 hours in some cases. Dr Clarke
explained why: “Huge forces are applied to the baby at the point of delivery,
even during a relatively straightforward birth. This force places potential
stress on the spinal cord, the upper cervical area and the cranium. Where
intervention is necessary, the forces applied are even greater. Anything
from 40-80 lbs of pressure is applied to a baby’s head and neck during delivery.
“It’s important to make clear that these procedures save countless
mothers’ and babies’ lives every day. It’s wonderful. But little or no
consideration is given to what impact these interventions have had on the
developing nervous system of your brand new baby. To believe it has no
impact is wrong. Add to which, the baby’s head is turned up to 180 degrees
during the birthing process.”
If any adjustment is needed, Dr Clarke says the pressure
applied is minimal: “It is completely safe and natural. Chiropractors are trained to detect and
where necessary correct problems with the upper neck that may have resulted
from these procedures, therefore helping your little ones heal and recover from
such traumatic starts. The touch is very gentle so it takes no more
pressure than checking the ripeness of a tomato.”
Dr Sandhu is inviting parents to find out more by checking
out our website and clicking on the news page. www.bedford-chiropractor.co.uk
Bedford Chiropractic
Clinic, 1st Floor Broadway House, 4-6 The Broadway, Bedford, MK402TE.
01234 353937
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