PEDIATRIC CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Studies

The rendering of chiropractic care to even infants- is highly important for two reasons: 1. To raise the level of awareness by parents of the key role chiropractic should play in their responsibility for their children's welfare; and 2. To provide for children an important health-care ingredient which too often has been denied them, health care which could immeasurably add to the quality of their later adult years.
          Mc Andrews J. Infants as chiropractic patients. J Chiropractic. 1993; 30(11): 65-7 Mantis ID: 26730

Acute cervical subluxations are quite common in children as a result of falls and other injuries.
          Percy EC; Acute subluxation of the cervical spine. Can Med Assoc J 1970; 103(9)953-6. / Medline ID: 71026960

Complete or substantial improvement had been noted in 61.6 % of pediatric patients of their chief complaint. 60.6% received "maximum" level of improvement while only 56.7% of adult patients received "maximum" level of improvement.
          Nyiendo J; Olsen E; Visit characteristics of 217 children attending a chiropractic college teaching clinic. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1988; 11(2);78-84 / Medline ID: 88258338

Functional disorders (fixations) in the spine of children may appear as loss of appetite, sleeping problems, psychic problems and dysmenorrhea, and may not exist as spinal pain. With studies of healthy children it was revealed that 40% had pelvic subluxation and 15.8% had cervical subluxation's.
          Lewit K.; Functional Disorders (Fixations) of the Spine in Children.

Functional disorders (fixation) do not disappear with out spinal manipulative therapy.
          Hinwood JA, Hinwood JA; Children and chiropractic care: a summary of subluxation and its ramifications. J Austr Chiropr Assoc 1980 11(9); 18-21

Degenerative changes emerge rapidly after the adolescent growth spurt. The MR imaging appearance of the degenerative processes is similar regardless of symptoms, although these processes are more common in symptomatic adolescents and develop at an earlier age.
          Erkintalo MO; Salminen JJ; Alanen AM; Paajanen HE; Kormano MJ. Development of degenerative changes in the lumbar intervertebral disk: results of a prospective MR imaging study in adolescents with and without low-back pain.  Radiology 1995; 196(2):529-33 / Medline ID: 95343123

This study suggests that low back pain in the growth period is "a real problem," with a trend toward aggravation as time passes. Thus, implementing preventive measures in schools may be very important.
          Harreby M; Neergaard K; Hesselsøe G; Kjer J. Are radiologic changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine of adolescents risk factors for low back pain in adults? A 25-year prospective cohort study of 640 school children. Spine 1995; 20(21):2298-302 / Medline ID: 9613185

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© 1996-2003 Craig M. Anderson, D.C.