A 2018 study showed that at vacuum-assisted delivery and Caesarean section deliveries were associated with “a higher prevalence of reduced cervical spine ROM [range of motion]"This study showed that normal range of motion was not particularly common after vaginal birth without interventions, but it also showed that reduced cervical spine (neck) range of motion was more common in vacuum assisted births and caesarean sections.

We have 12 cranial nerves that begin at the brain and brainstem, travel throughout the skull and exit via the small holes (foramen and canals) to supply voluntary and involuntary muscles for movement, and sensory information like sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing, and balance. Breastfeeding is no small task for the small human. It “is a synchronized event requiring the infant to suck, swallow and breathe. Performing this coordinated event requires 6 of the 12 cranial nerves; 22 cranial bones articulate at 34 sutures/places; and 60 muscles that are voluntary and involuntary.” The human body is incredibly complex and while the art of chiropractic celebrates this, the science of chiropractic is still being studied and proven.

Musculoskeletal pain experienced by adults is reasonably well researched, but pain in children is not. Last year the findings of a three-year study performed in Denmark was published looking at the pain distribution patterns of children between 8 and 16 years old. This study finished with 1,169 participants – which is a significant sample size when looking at children of that age across all industrialised countries.For the purposes of the report, pain was defined as at least one week of pain during a school year. While we know that “pain can start early in life and increases throughout adolescence,” it is the specifics offered up by this study that make it noteworthy.Other concerns that accompany childhood and adolescent pain include negative impacts on “sports participation and physical activity in childhood” as well as “psychological distress, poor relations with peers, absence from school, puberty and decreased quality of life.” To this end, it is important for both parents and clinicians to know when and how to bring in interventions.

A recent Australian study revealed that a whopping 71.8% of 178 infants examined at a paediatric only chiropractic clinic between January 1, 2010 to 31st December, 2010 had glenohumeral joint dysfunction. The glenohumeral joint is the shoulder ball and socket joint. ...The take-away is that prolonged crying should be investigated, and chiropractors are trained to assess the entire musculoskeletal system.

Firstly, what are “growing pains”? They are the leg muscle pains experienced by children and adolescents often at the calf, front of thigh or behind the knees, that do not have an obvious cause. Despite the name, growing is not what causes the pain, except in the case of Server’s disease, where the calf bone has grown faster than the Achilles tendon. Growing pains are often worse in the afternoon or evening. Sometimes, the pain can wake a child from their sleep. The cause is not known, but running, climbing, or jumping during the day might increase the risk of leg pain at night.

A recent U.S. Study found that “following a course of chiropractic care, the QoL [Quality of Life] of children (8-17 years old) improved beyond chance as assessed by their parents."The study used the “Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System” or PROMIS collection method and surveyed 724 parents, 80% of which were under chiropractic care themselves. The participants presented to chiropractic clinics for their children for a combination of wellness care as well as relieving symptoms. The researchers noted that “All PROMISE QoL [quality of life] measures changed from T1 [baseline] to T2 [comparison point] in a statistically significant manner. More importantly, the changes were associated with improvements in QoL. [1]”The paper specifically looked at anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain and physical function, with anxiety, pain, and physical function showing the greatest improvements under care.Another interesting note is this: we know that parent-proxy questionnaires give some room for error in terms of estimations. However, Alcantara et al cite other research that indicated that parents tend to over-estimate their child’s Quality of Life. Therefore, the difference could be even greater than we currently think.There is a lot more to be done in the way of research with it comes to chiropractic for kids, and chiropractic for wellness. 

During the month of April 2021 to coincide with the school holidays all existing patients under the age of 18 will automatically receive an extra $5.00 off their consultation.If your child or grandchild has never seen us before, but you would like them to be assessed we are offering 50% off their first and second consult.Terms and conditions apply and can be found at the bottom of this webpage.