We’ve heard this question many times before – babies are perfect, why would they need to get adjusted?
Causes of misalignment
Contrary to popular belief, babies are not born with “perfect” alignment. The reason why can be simplified to 2 factors:
1. In-utero dysfunction
This means that the baby’s positioning in our womb might not have been ideal. It is commonly understood as fetal malpresentation (baby is not head down in the right position approaching birth). However, there can be other subtle ways that this occurs in the womb. Sometimes their head/neck can be at an awkward angle for a prolonged period of time, or they might find it difficult to move around comfortably due to restrictions around their mother’s pelvis (this is why Webster care is important for babies and birth, too!).
The picture above are all understandably uncomfortable positions to be in for a prolonged period of time, and can easily cause strain on the baby’s head and neck!
2. Birth trauma
“Trauma” sounds like a big word, but birth is understandably an unfamiliar, possibly distressful experience for both baby and mother involved.
For the baby, birth involves a lot of pressure and pushing force (mother’s contractions) on their bodies and heads. In prolonged labour, this can mean they experience an excessively long period of force pushing against them. In short labour (less than the expected labour time depending on how many pregnancies you have had), this can mean that babies experience an excessively large and intense amount of force pushing against them.
In the event that birth is difficult, sometimes assisted delivery is practiced (using forceps or vacuum suction to help baby descend the birth canal). Even when birth goes relatively smoothly, doctors typically have to assist babies in their descent by pulling on their head/neck. This increased force on the head and neck can potentially cause injuries.
Guarding response
Injuries are mainly due to a phenomenon called a guarding response. This can be good for injury prevention, but sometimes might also be the reason why we experience injuries.
Why it’s good:
Why it can backfire:
How would I know if my child needs to get adjusted?
Below are some signs that you can look out for in your child to know if they really need pediatric chiropractic care:
- Birth story
- Extended/difficult/stalled/fast labour
- Visual signs of trauma (e.g. cone-shaped head), heart rate changes during birthing process
- Baby’s responsiveness after birth (e.g. less alertness)
- Breastfeeding challenges
- Painful latching (for mum) and/or poor quality latching
- Colic/inability to relax
- Reflux symptoms
- Parent’s low milk supply (due to inadequate stimulation)
- Movement challenges
- Baby is unable to rotate head properly
- Has a preference to stay/sleep on one side
- Inability to tummy time comfortably
- Overarching back
- Unable to hit normal development markers (e.g. gross motor milestones)
- General functional challenges
- Inability to hit normal weight gain
- Irregular or difficult bowel/bladder habits
- Inability/difficulty sleeping
If my child seems fine, do they still require Chiropractic care?
Essentially YES – we always encourage parents to bring in their kids as early as possible because this prevents treatment based on symptoms and focuses on wellness care. Children respond to adjustments very quickly, so if there are no issues, a general check-up could do them wonders!
If you’re ever unsure about whether your child requires chiropractic care, reach out to us or any professional pediatric chiropractor to answer your questions.