More and more parents are looking to chiropractic care as a complementary part of their children’s health-care needs. The American Chiropractic Association reports survey findings showing an increase of at least 8.5 percent of chiropractic patients under the age of 17. A study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention also stated that almost 3 percent of children in the United States receive treatment with chiropractic osteopathic manipulation.
As such, chiropractic is the most prevailing type of alternative medicine employed by children. Experts concur that chiropractic care can be useful for Burnaby chiropractor who suffer from spine-related ailments. Like adults, children benefit from spinal manipulation and adjustments, as well as other kinds of care that fall under the purview of chiropractic.
However, chiropractic care should work as a complementary treatment to regular pediatric care. Chiropractic care works alongside a pediatrician’s treatment, but it does not replace the role of a regular doctor. The pediatrician may prescribe medications for certain necessary conditions, and treat the patient for more serious illnesses and injuries. A pediatric chiropractor, on the other hand, is instrumental in providing preventative, supportive wellness care, as well as alternative treatment in some cases.
Some studies indicate that chiropractic care may help children with various common ailments, ranging from colic and bedwetting, to asthma and ear infections. This is in addition to back and neck pain treatment. Studies have been conducted in order to determine the value and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic care. These studies, which showed mostly positive results, concentrated on conditions other than musculoskeletal and included issues such as tonsillitis, enuresis, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma and colic.
In the case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chiropractors are showing results with an alternative approach to treatment that focuses on nutrition, lifestyle, and postural muscle adjustments as opposed to the regular route of medication. This is no small gain considering how prevalent prescriptions for Ritalin, a commonly prescribed medication for ADHD, have become. Americans consume 90 percent of all prescriptions for Ritalin in the world – a fact that makes many parents weary of the traditional medical approach.