For children with physical challenges, navigating the world is no easy task. Movements that come easily to other kids can be difficult or impossible for children with spine or musculature issues, making it harder for them to fully participate with their peers.
These physical issues are also challenging for parents — while they want the best for their child, they’re often not sure what they can do to help.
Certified chiropractic care for children with physical challenges offers benefits for kids and parents alike. Here’s how.
Navigating the Nervous System: The Chiropractic Advantage
According to data from the CDC, 1 in 33 children born in the United States suffers some type of birth defect[DM1] . The type and severity of these issues vary from child to child — some have minor physical challenges while others may struggle to walk, run, jump, or climb.
Chiropractic care for children can both reduce symptoms and help address the root cause of some physical issues. Think of the spine and nervous system as the body’s “wiring” — if signals are misfiring or wires are twisted, message strength may suffer or signals may fail to reach their destination. This can leave children with chronic or acute pain that impacts their quality of life.
Professional chiropractors help pinpoint and address spine issues, in turn helping kids’ bodies better manage and process nervous system signals.
Key Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Children
For kids with physical challenges, professional chiropractic care offers several benefits, including:
Enhanced motor skills
If nervous system messages don’t effectively reach arms, legs, hands, or feet, kids may experience challenges with gross and fine motor skills. Professional chiropractors can help improve nervous system function and enhance children’s motor skills.
This can help reduce kids’ frustration with tasks such as writing, getting dressed, or brushing their teeth, and can give parents the peace of mind that comes with helping their child achieve a measure of independence.
Reduced physical discomfort
Spinal misalignment or nervous system issues can lead to chronic pain or acute discomfort. In kids, this may lead to an unwillingness to participate in physical activities for fear of getting hurt or fear of being singled out for being different.
Comprehensive chiropractic assessments coupled with targeted treatment can help reduce pain and improve physical function.
For example, children may have trouble sleeping if they suffer from spine misalignment. This both reduces their ability to rest and can negatively impact their performance at school. Chiropractic care reduces the impact of these alignment issues, in turn improving their sleep and enhancing their focus.
Improved quality of life
Ongoing discomfort can take a toll on kids’ mental health. They may become easily frustrated or have difficulty controlling their emotions, which can lead to problems at home, at school, and with friends. A reduction in pain with chiropractic care can help improve children’s quality of life.
Worth noting? The benefits of chiropractic care begin even before birth. Certified Webster-technique chiropractors can reduce low back, round ligament, or sciatica pain for pregnant patients. This technique can also help foster a calm nervous system, which is beneficial to both babies and moms-to-be.
Adjusting Expectations
The practice of chiropractic care has advanced significantly. While chiropractors remain the go-to specialists for back pain and spine adjustments, care now extends to comprehensive nervous system regulation and improvements in day-to-day physical comfort.
For children with physical challenges, effective chiropractic care supports overall health, improves physical function, and enhances mental well-being.
For parents, finding a reputable, reliable, and caring chiropractic clinic helps give them hope for their child’s future — one that includes less pain, more movement, and a better quality of life.
SOURCES
[DM1]https://www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/about/index.html
