Is It Safe To Adjust An Infant?
I’ve had people ask, “Is it safe to adjust an infant’s spine? Their little bones are so delicate.”
In fact, it’s not only safe but essential that infants have their spines checked for spinal misalignments, called vertebral subluxations, and adjusted when necessary to remove nerve system interference.
Research shows that 95% of first subluxations happen in the birth process, altering nerve function at a crucial time of life. In the first few years of life incredible growth and development is taking place – all under the control of the brain and nerve system.
It is vitally important that the brain and body are able to communicate without interference to insure that everything happens on schedule. In early development, there are windows of opportunity for the body to create organs and systems which if missed, delayed or altered can have dire consequences for the life of the child.
Chiropractic adjustments for children are very gentle and completely safe. The pressure needed to adjust the infant spine has been compared to pressing a finger on a tomato to check its ripeness. Since the purpose of the adjustment is to restore normal motion to a malfunctioning joint in order to remove nerve interference and disturbance to nerve function, very little force is necessary to give the body what it needs to facilitate a correction. Even slight improvement in spinal motion can have a significant impact of nerve system function as a reduction in pressure against the spinal cord or nerves allows for more normal communication within the body.
Some of the healthiest children we know are those who have been under chiropractic care since shortly after birth. Many do not know what it is like to experience significant health problems or even the “usual” childhood illnesses. Children under chiropractic care are able to function at a higher capacity on the neurological level which translates into optimum body function and maximum expression of health.
Our own children were checked and adjusted just minutes after birth. What better testament to our belief in the safety of chiropractic care for infants?
So, YES! Chiropractic care is safe for an infant’s spine. It is arguably the most positive thing you can do for the developing spine and nerve system of your child’s body.