Thousands of infants, children and adolescents benefit from the fruits of regular pediatric, chiropractic care, everyday. Chiropractic has become much more than an effective treatment for adult back pain. It has become a safe, effective health resource for all members of the family. Relief from pain, correction of neuromusculoskeletal conditions and overall health optimization for all ages is what chiropractic can provide.

In addition to providing safe, effective treatment for back pain, scoliosis, headaches and the more obvious “chiropractically responsive” treatments in the young, we can also provide effective care for many other conditions. Common childhood conditions such as ear infections, asthma and infantile colic – to name a few – have been shown to respond favorably to chiropractic treatments.

Chiropractic is a holistic approach to the treatment and management of health conditions. Chiropractic care encompasses a wide variety of safe, natural and noninvasive treatments. This includes chiropractic spinal adjustments, exercise and stretching programs, diet and nutritional counseling, soft tissue techniques, to name a few. In experienced hands, chiropractic care can provide your infant, child or adolescent with a lifetime of health and happiness.

A growing number of parents are adding pediatric chiropractic care as an integrative component of their children’s health care regimen.

.According to Elise Hewitt, DC, a Portland-area doctor of chiropractic and president of the American Chiropractic Association’s Pediatrics Council, chiropractic care isn’t just for adults. Infants and children can benefit from spinal manipulation and other forms of chiropractic care just as much as their parents and grandparents.

.“It’s very important that a child have both a pediatrician and a pediatric chiropractor. A pediatric chiropractor is not there to replace the role of the pediatrician,” says Dr. Hewitt. “The pediatrician provides medications when necessary and delivers care in times of serious illness and injury. A pediatric chiropractor is there for preventative wellness care and maintenance of the child’s structure. The two are very complementary.”

Studies are beginning to show that chiropractic can help children not only with typical back and neck pain complaints, but also with issues as varied as asthma, chronic ear infections, nursing difficulties, colic and bedwetting

Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle. Doctors of chiropractic — commonly referred to as chiropractors — practice a hands-on, drug-free approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Following their undergraduate education, doctors of chiropractic obtain a four-year degree consisting of more than 4,500 hours of study and clinical experience. Pediatric specialists receive additional post-doctorate training.

“The vast majority of parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care,” Dr. Hewitt notes.