Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Drew Hall
Some adults may wonder why more and more children are starting to see Upper Cervical Chiropractors. That’s a good question and the answer is simple: whether we have a large spine or a small spine, if that spine is creating nerve distress then our bodies will not be able to operate properly.
The Nervous System is the Master Control
of the Body
The nervous system is the master control system of our body and the messages exchanged between the brain and body (through billions of nerves) guide the transformation of a newborn child into an adult. Each message provides instructions to the child’s growing body to provide for growth and repair of tissues, coordination of muscle activity, immune function, respiration and digestion among others.
As with adults, an upper cervical (neck) misalignment can have significant effects upon the nervous system’s ability to transmit information to and from a child’s body. If communication channels become fuzzy, distorted or damaged then we experience all sorts of communication errors. For babies and children, this ineffective communication may play out as colic or irritability, an inability to suckle and breastfeed, poor sleep and immunity, frequent ear infections, developmental delays, digestion issues, asthma, behavioral problems, low energy, inability to concentrate, headaches, etc – the list is endless. In fact, regardless of what the end result or symptom may be, all roads lead back to the body’s ability to self-regulate and function at a peak level.
While upper cervical care may be able to help with a number of health issues, our focus is not treating conditions; rather, our focus is on ensuring the nervous system has every opportunity to work efficiently and effectively.
How Do Children get Nerve Irritation?
Nerve irritations (or vertebral subluxations) occur as a part of normal daily life. They result from physical, chemical and emotional stressors or ‘insults’ to our health, such as knocks and falls, bad posture, prolonged postures, stomach sleeping, poor food choices, dehydration, exposure to chemicals and toxins, and stress and anxiety.
Even before these lifestyle stressors have an impact, nerve irritation can occur in the uterus from awkward positioning, restriction of movement, and exposure to toxins, and from birth complications such as long labors, very fast labors, forceps or caesarean delivery. Even during the gentlest of births, presentation of the baby’s head through the birth canal requires physical pressure exerted by the mother. This can force the baby’s neck to twist or bend causing misalignment of the upper cervical vertebrae.
A study published in the Journal of Manual Medicine revealed that nearly 80% of all children are born with blocked or reduced nerve impulses due to a misalignment of the top bone in the spine called the Atlas. Dr. Gutmann, the medical doctor who performed the research, concluded that the blocked nerve impulses can cause motor and developmental impairments, as well as lowered resistance to infections, especially ear, nose and throat infections.
If the newborn makes it through the birthing process unaffected, the inevitable tumbles and falls of childhood increase the risk of injury to the upper cervical spine potentially compromising brain-body communication.
When we appreciate how important the nervous system is and how easily it can be hindered and impaired it makes sense that more parents are having their child’s spine and nervous system assessed.
10 Reasons Parents Take Their Children to
See Upper Cervical Doctors
1. To maximize the child’s brain and nerve development (neural plasticity).
2. To enhance their child’s overall health and wellbeing.
3. To strengthen immunity and reduce the incidence of colds, ear infections and general illness.
4. To help with colic and irritability.
5. To help with asthma, breathing difficulties and allergies.
6. To improve spinal posture.
7. To improve their child’s ability to concentrate.
8. To assist with behavioral disorders and enhance emotional wellbeing.
9. To help alleviate digestive problems.
10. To assist with bed-wetting and sleep issues.
Because the upper cervical spine is the most mobile area of the entire spine, it is particularly vulnerable to injury, making it the most common location for spinal problems to occur. Get your children checked for a misalignment today!
If you are interested in learning more about how upper cervical care can benefit the smaller and younger members of your family, call Sarasota Upper Cervical Chiropractic and schedule a consultation with Dr. Drew Hall. Call 941-259-1891 today!
Sarasota Upper Cervical Chiropractic
3920 Bee Ridge Rd., Bldg D,
Sarasota, FL 34233
941.259.1891
sarasotauppercervical.com
