Chiropractors are a far underutilized slice of the medical care field. The spine and nervous system is critical to every single one of our body’s vital functions, so proper care is essential. Chiropractic benefits don’t end with simply alleviating chronic back pain in adults. Proper spinal care contributes to a holistic approach in plenty of health treatments not only for adults, but children as well.
Even if your child doesn’t suffer from chronic back pain, there are plenty of other reasons to take them in to see a chiropractor. Here are just a few!
1. To Improve Brain and Nervous System Health
A study published in the medical journal Neural Plasticity has shown that spinal misalignments can negatively affect brain function up to 20%. While that is a huge percentage for anyone, this is especially alarming for children.
The way that the brain and nervous system develop during childhood will impact your child for the rest of their lives. A properly adjusted spine ensures that the nervous system can operate unimpeded. Misalignment, also called subluxation, can block or disrupt communication between the brain, nervous system, and the nerve endings that branch out from i. If this misalignment goes unchecked, the problem may become more permanent.
2. Chiropractic Adjustments are Preventative
Far too many adults suffer from chronic back pain. Teaching children proper spine care early o teaches them to maintain that care for life, preventing further issues down the road.
The preventative benefits do not end there. A misaligned spine has been known to cause a variety of health problems like constipation, colic, bed wetting, insomnia, hyperactivity, and more. Making sure that a child’s spine is functioning properly prevents a laundry list of medical issues that would require greater reactive treatment when they grow up. Why not stop the problems before they begin?
3. Proper Alignment Boosts the Immune System
Stress. Adults have it in spades. Well so do kids. Studies have demonstrated the negative impacts of stress hormones like cortisol on the immune system and how it can cause a plethora of health problems.
Even a small subluxation can cause a jump in the body’s production of cortisol. The problem is, small misalignments often go unnoticed among patients because they don’t have any visible symptoms, such as back pain. If a subluxation develops in a child unnoticed, their bodies could be producing extra cortisol well into adulthood.
4. Improved Posture for All Ages
We all remember adults telling us as children to sit up straight, don’t slouch, chest up and shoulders back. Sitting has been proven to be one of the worst things we can do for our posture and, guess what? In today’s world of computers, kids spend more and more time sitting down than ever before.
Proper chiropractic care can help fix a child’s posture early on so they develop good lifelong habits. Good posture has been linked to a lower risk of heart and lung disease, so by helping your child build good spine and posture habits, you are helping them avoid future life threatening medical problems.
Like with anything in life, it is easier to prevent a medical issue than to fix it. Bringing your child to the chiropractor keeps their bodies in shape early in life, giving them a chance to develop and grow unimpeded by spinal issues. Set your children up for success by bringing them in to United Integrated Healthcare Center for an adjustment today.