How Does Chiropractic Help the Development Of My Child?

BUB HUB Editorial 10/09
Get the true facts about chiropractic and all its benefits – from the Chiropractors Association of Australia… Read More

I am always amazed by how quickly children develop and learn new skills, behaviours and even phrases, some of which may make us rethink the way we communicate.

The adult body has approximately 75 trillion cells all working together in a community which makes up the material of who we are. Your brain alone contains a million, million brain cells which is equivalent to 167 times the population of the planet and each single cell is more powerful in its functions than the standard personal computer!

It is said that as much as 65% of our neurological development occurs within the first year of life! In children, much of this development is stimulated from our environment, ie; play, movement, touch, inter-actions with others, sickness (cold etc) and emotional events.

Unfortunately our developmental processes do not filter what is good and what is not so good – so the environment that your child grows up in plays a major effect on the way they develop and their patterns later on in life. The good news is I am yet to meet a good parent that does not go out of their way to help give their child the best opportunities they possibly can in life.

As more and more research is conducted in the field of human wellness – science regarding what is required for us as the human species to express health, evidence is showing that proper movement is really one of the major keys in ensuring the proper development of your child. Proper movement can come from activities such as play, sport, and other activities such as climbing, tag/tip, fun wrestles and others. Of equal importance, is that proper movement is able to occur within the various joints of the body and in particular the spine.

[accordian][toggle title=”How Do We Develop?” open=”yes”]Our brains are like incredibly powerful computers that process information from the body and then send appropriate information back out. Every cell in your body is influenced by your nervous system.

Through various neurological pathways it is said that up to 50% of the information your brain receives comes from the movement of your spinal column – which of course is influenced by movement in other joints of the body. So, proper development really does rely on adequate and proper transmission of this information.

This is where chiropractors are leading the way.[/toggle][toggle title=”How Does Chiropractic Help the Development of my Child?” open=”no”]Chiropractors can help with the normal development of your child as they are experts in assessing and treating areas of the spinal column and nervous system that may be stimulating negative feedback to the brain, impacting your child’s development and ongoing health.[/toggle][toggle title=”Is Chiropractic Safe for Children?” open=”no”]

For children, chiropractors use natural, gentle and effective techniques to ensure that your child is able to move properly right from the big toe to the top of their cranium! If there is a problem the treatment procedures are incredibly gentle – often only fingertip pressure is required!

What are some common Indicators that may suggest my child has diminished joint position sense or neurological function?

[checklist]

  • Tendency to tilt or rotate head to one side
  • Shoulder tilt
  • Cranial distortion ie one eye higher or bulge/flat spot on head
  • Delayed developmental milestones
  • Poor balance/ coordination
  • Emotional irrationality/ behavioural difficulties
  • Sleeping disorders
  • Poor immunity

[/checklist][/toggle][toggle title=”How can Improper diminished Joint Position Sense and Neurological Function Affect my Child?” open=”no”]Unfortunately when the joints of our body become dysfunctional,  it sets up a negative feedback system (nociception) which can affect the function of the motor – cerebellar – vestibular system. This impacts:

[checklist]

  • the way we move (co-ordination/posture)
  • our memory
  • learning ability
  • concentration
  • emotional rationality
  • organ/immune function

[/checklist]

So the affects of abnormal spinal movement can be vast and varied and often end up as problems that seem far removed from the original cause. Combine this with an increase in the toxicity and deficiency in our foods and environment it is little wonder that more and more children are experiencing conditions such as allergies, ADHD, poor immunity, digestive feeding disturbances, sleeplessness, colic and emotional irrationality.[/toggle]