The practice has officially taken off and we have been BOOMING with precious newborns, bouncing toddlers, and adventurous kids. I often get asked by family members and friends: “Why exactly would a parent bring their child to you?”
1) NURSING TROUBLES- I’ve had moms come to me on the verge of tears (or nervous breakdowns…or both) because they just can’t get things right with breastfeeding. They feel like they’re failures and are too sleep-deprived and stressed to be able to troubleshoot or cope anymore. Not only are they needing help with positioning and latching, but 9 times out of 10, their little ones are also suffering with imbalances in the spine, cranium, palate and nervous system that make it even *harder* to find that sweet spot. Babies with tongue and lip ties are even more out of balance. These moms are NOT failures, they just need a little help. I’m so thankful to have a lactation consultant in-house to work on positioning with mom while I concurrently work on correcting imbalances in baby. The same hot mess new moms typically come back after a series of treatments reporting an amazing transformation, and it just makes my heart smile knowing that I played a role in helping their little ones get the amazing benefits of breast milk.
2) ACID REFLUX- Up to 70% of infants will have regurgitation in the first few months of life. This only becomes problematic when symptoms start to interfere with daily living (ie consistently irritable, little weight gain, persistent vomiting, etc). It makes me so sad to see these littleones suffering. I am typically a last-ditch effort by parents who are desperate to find something *ANYTHING* that helps. Oftentimes, after locating and correcting an imbalance in the spine in the top of the neck and mid back, they report a much lower incidence of acid reflux symptoms. It’s truly amazing to see the difference in these kids. I always wonder how much heartache, frustration and money could’ve been saved if parents chose chiropractic care earlier. Some pediatricians are starting to recommend chiropractic care for these kiddos, and I feel so honored to be a part of their healthcare team.
3) ANXIETY, ADD/ADHD, ASD, CP- Is it just me or is navigating life as a child getting more stressful? More and more children are being diagnosed with anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, ADD/ADHD, etc. Part of the problem is environmental. What are we eating/drinking? What are our expectations of our students? What environment are our kids in nine hours of the day? The social pressures our kids undergo are getting out of hand. Another big problem that parents are becoming aware about is an imbalance in the nervous system. Poor and prolonged posture (slouched on the couch, hunched over a desk, looking down at a phone, or congenital weaknesses) can cause dysfunction of the spine, leading to an imbalance in the nervous system. Folks that suffer with mental illness (especially anxiety and OCD) and intellectual and developmental disorders (ADD/ADHD, ASD, Downs Syndrome, CP, etc.) are stuck in a chronic state of stress (sympathetic nervous system is locked on). Chiropractic adjustments help to balance the spine and nervous system and help take these kids out of stress and into a state of rest and heal (parasympathetic nervous system).
4) CONSTIPATION- This is a big one in our pediatric population. The digestive tract is very sensitive to change, especially in growing kiddos. There is a popular (and incorrect) belief that kids can go up to a week without having a bowel movement and that’s ok. While this is becoming more and more common, that does not mean it’s normal. Moms of breastfeeding babies who are constipated are often taught that their babies “use up” all of the breast milk and that’s why they can go longer between bowel movements. Our bodies naturally produce byproducts and waste even if we eat the cleanest of meals. That’s why even those on raw vegan diets who consume large, adequate amounts of water have frequent bowel movements. Their bodies are fed clean foods and allowed to cleanse naturally. The same concept applies to breastfed babies and kids. Even if they consume the cleanest of diets (breast milk), their bodies should still produce waste. Ideally, bowel movements should occur after each meal. On top of a clean diet and lots of water, chiropractic care can balance the nervous system, encourage proper function to the digestive system, and facilitate healing. Parents often report a great “side effect” of regular chiropractic care is regular time in the bathroom/diaper as well.
5) SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION- Playing sports as a child has come such a long way from 20 years ago. Even though the safety standards are so much higher (ie football helmets are stronger, pitch counts are closely monitored, schools provide access to athletic trainers, etc), parents are still wanting to take every precaution to ensure their precious ones don’t get hurt and that their bodies are protected from long-term consequences. Every single professional football team has a chiropractor. Many other professional teams and athletes also have chiropractors. Athletes seek chiropractic care for injury prevention, quicker recovery times, and enhanced performance. Wouldn’t it be great if our young athletes had the same access? I *love* introducing chiropractic care to our local athletes and working side-by-side with their coaches and athletic trainers to ensure a safe, productive, and fun sport experience.
BONUS: I just couldn’t narrow it down to five reasons, so here’s the final reason parents bring their kids to me for chiropractic care. IMMUNITY. This may not be the initial reason a child is brought in to see me, but it’s often one of the many reasons they continue on with chiropractic care. They tell me that their kids aren’t getting as sick as they did prior to starting care or that they recover much faster and aren’t as wiped out by sickness. The stories I hear (and see firsthand) amaze me!
Well, there you have it! That’s a snapshot of the top reasons parents bring their kids to Thrive Family Chiropractic and Nutrition in Beaumont, TX. I hope you found this blog post valuable and got some questions answered.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Check out ICPA4KIDS.ORG for more information about pediatric chiropractic care.
#BeaumontFamilyChiropractor #pediatricchiropractor #beaumontchiropractor #BeaumontPrenatalCare #BeaumontENT #BeaumontOBGYN #SETXObgynAssociates #beaumontkidssports #beaumontlactationconsultant