1.) They aren’t looking to one side or prefer to nurse only one side.
You know that feeling when you go to check your blind spot and something stops you? Well, this could also happen in an infant. We’ve seen the funny sleeping positions babies present with, can you imagine what an adult would feel like if they slept that way? Your baby may be experiencing the same thing. If your baby prefers to nurse on only one side and it’s a fight to get them to nurse the other, or they always seem to look to a particular side, it might be uncomfortable for them to turn their neck. Using very low force adjustments (no joke it’s about the same pressure as you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato) a child’s neck could return to where it’s supposed to be and motivate them to look both directions! A child’s understanding of the world is based on their perception, and if they’re only preserving one side of it, how much are they missing? Get them checked by a pediatric chiropractor.
2.) Their cheeks are deviating…let me explain.
You may see this technique done in the chiropractic office. I often like to show this trick to parents at home to determine if their baby needs to get checked. With the child in ‘tummy time,’ gently squeeze their little buttock cheeks together. If their crack goes straight then they are less likely to have subluxation (bone out of place) in their lower spine. Should their crack deviate to one side or the other, make an appointment with the local pediatric chiropractor. You can find one in your area at www.icpa4kids.org
3.) Any delay in milestones.
While pediatricians are very well trained in diagnosis of such milestone delays, most parents come to the chiropractor as well for early detection and possibly an action plan of care for any delay. Should your baby not roll over, crawl, walk, talk or achieve any milestone as expected a chiropractor might be able to help! Through testing the spine and primitive reflexes, chiropractors get an inside look as to what may be going on below the surface. Such reflexes tell us if primitive brain (the less developed brain that allows us to suck, and blink) or cortex (the more developed brain that helps us recognize right from wrong) is in charge. We want certain reflexes to be present early on in life and others to diminish as we age. Pediatric Chiropractors are trained to test and detect any delays that may exist in your child before they become more recognizable.
4.) Colic and/or ear infections.
This is probably the most common reason a parent may bring their child to the chiropractor. While chiropractors do not treat the ear infection or colic removing what is called vertebral subluxation may help alleviate such symptoms. Ear infections can sometimes be caused by the tube being blocked off due to the skull, and neck not being in proper positions. This can also lead to increased spasm or hypertonicity in the muscles surrounding the area. Again, chiropractors can determine if your child has a chiropractic problem or requires further medical care. While also consulting your pediatrician, we encourage you to read up on the literature of antibiotics and ear infections. Hint…we’ve known for a very long time that such treatment is ineffective.
5.) Irregular Bowel Movements.
Children who struggle with any bathroom habits may benefit from chiropractic. Refer to number two (pun totally intended) to see if your infant has subluxation that may contribute to possible bowel or bladder dysfunction. If a baby cannot detox the body as expected they might have a nutritional deficiency, a toxic overload, or possibly bones out of place that aren’t allowing the large intestine to release its contents. Bed wetting is also a common symptom kids present to the office with. Again, while chiropractors don’t treat ‘bed wetting,’ parents often find success for their kids under chiropractic care. Don’t allow the pediatrician to tell you to just, ‘wait it out.’ What 9-year-old boy wants to ‘wait it out?’ No! See if chiropractic care can help, and let them go to the sleep over!
