Understanding Your Child’s Need for Chiropractic Care: Unveiling Subtle Signs

By Ron Robinson DC, CACCP

Many of you turned to chiropractic care initially to address specific issues impacting your well-being, whether it was headaches, sciatica, numbness, or vertigo. These symptoms, often affecting your overall quality of life, likely began as subtle signals that your body required an adjustment. For adults, these signs manifest as difficulties recovering from workouts, sleep disturbances, feeling overwhelmed in routine situations, low energy, and digestive disruptions, among others. Adults generally have a keen awareness of how they feel and can articulate when something is amiss. However, our little ones might not express themselves as explicitly. This often leads to the question, “How do I know if my kids need chiropractic care?”

Detecting the need for chiropractic care in children can indeed be challenging, but there are subtle signs they express as a way of communicating their needs. Let’s break down these signs into different age groups:

Age Group: 0-24 months

– Physical signs: Head tilt, arching back, knees tucked up to the tummy, favoring nursing on one side, avoiding tummy time, teething, plagiocephaly (requiring a helmet), crawling on one leg.

– Emotional signs: Restlessness, colic (inconsolable crying), sleep disturbances.

– Functional symptoms: Gassiness, constipation, reflux, congestion, ear infections.

Age Group: 2-4 years

– Physical signs: Toe walking, postural changes (forward head posture or uneven shoulders/legs), growing pains.

– Emotional signs: Excessive tiredness, difficulty with transitions, sensory seeking (rough play or running into things), head banging, a constant need for stimulation.

– Functional symptoms: Ear infections, chronic sore throats, consistent tummy aches, asthma.

Age Group: 4-8 years

– Physical signs: Growing pains, motor tics.

– Emotional signs: Everything from the previous age group plus a suggestion of ADHD.

– Functional symptoms: Bedwetting, asthma, constipation.

Age Group: 8+ years

– Physical signs: Anything from the above, plus headaches, scoliosis, poor posture.

– Emotional signs: Everything from the previous age group plus anxiety, depression.

– Functional symptoms: Everything from the above, plus any growing pains, poor recovery from activity, or fatigue.

It’s essential to note that these signs serve as a reference guide rather than a comprehensive rule. The presence of these signs and symptoms doesn’t solely dictate the need for a chiropractic adjustment in children. If you have any questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care for kids, please feel free to ask. Moreover, inquire about our family discounts if your kids aren’t already receiving care in the office.

Wishing you and your little ones the best in health and well-being.

Dr. Ron