Stars 4 Kidz

Posts Tagged ‘pediatric chiropractic’

Ugh, earaches! They can keep your child and you up all night! A child’s tears caused by painful earaches can be heartbreaking. And, it seems that so little can be done to prevent and treat them, even with medication. Earaches come in all strengths and sizes and occur at all ages. As a writer of health articles involving children, I’ve previously written that by the age of three years, more than 70 percent of children will have had at least one episode of earache; and nearly a third of those will have had three or more! It may not surprise you, as a parent of young children, that earaches are the most common reason for a visit to a pediatrician. But, it may surprise you that earaches are also the most widespread reason for children under the age of five years to be taken by parents to see a chiropractor!

That’s right. There is an alternative treatment that is healthier for your child than the general treatment by pediatricians of a course of antibiotics for middle ear infection. In fact, advanced medical research has determined that this type of treatment is often imprudent because the basis for a child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria. Antibiotics, as we all know, is only effective against bacterial pathogens so there can be no positive result by giving a child antibiotics. Antibiotics are tough enough on a child’s body when necessary, but given when they will not be effective in the least is a risky practice. Since middle ear infections can be generated by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics, children who are given antibiotics can actually develop chronic ear infections!

A pediatric chiropractor can determine whether or not a child’s inability to combat an earache or ear infection is generated by inflammation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings). An abnormal tension in the small muscles of the neck is created when these nerve endings are irritated, and such muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts. This results in inadequate drainage from inside the ear and prevents the child’s body from being able to naturally fight the problem.

If a chiropractor feels elevated tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache, this is indicative of inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts. In addition, the chiropractor will palpate to see which spinal vertebrae are either moderately out of alignment or not moving within their normal range, which may have been the result of any one of the variety of bangs, jolts and falls that almost all children experience in the early years of their life. Frequently, a short series of spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles can help to restore normal lymph drainage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection in children accounts for at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the problem! So remember, if your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, contact a pediatric chiropractor who may be able to provide the the type of effective treatment necessary to end your child’s pain and discomfort naturally.

Technorati Tags: children's health issues, chiropractic care, chiropractor, ear infections, earaches, pediatric chiropractic

As a chiropractor who specializes in pediatric care, I am always happy to read articles relating to the simple ways in which a child’s brain can be stimulated. Naturally, chiropractic adjustments have a positive effect on a child’s brain and nervous system. But, there is plenty that parents can do to assist the mental awareness and communication skills of their children. So, I found today’s nytimes.com article on the benefits of parents’ talking to their children very interesting. Randi Jacoby, a speech and language specialist in New York, believes that parents today have stopped having good communications with their young children, and this is causing children to lose out on the eye contact, facial expression and overall feedback that is essential for early communication development.

“Young children require time and one-on-one feedback as they struggle to formulate utterances in order to build their language and cognitive skills,” Jacoby said. “Parents need to be reminded of the significance of their communicative model.”

Ms. Jacoby’s general advice to parents is to reward your child’s communicative attempts with your own heightened attention, and to prepared to put down your cellphone and look them squarely in the eye as they share their thoughts with you.

The article is extremely informative and should be read in its entirety, ad it offers excellent advice on how to better communicate with your children. And, the most important was that when your children try to talk to you, give them your full attention whenever possible. And before you speak to them, make sure you have their attention.

The full article can be found at nytimes.com

Technorati Tags: child communication development, pediatric chiropractic

A Children’s Chiropractic Center in Oklahoma City, “Oklahaven,” announced the dates of their annual “Have-A-Heart” campaign, a worldwide event that is held during Valentine’s week each year. The purpose of the event is to increase the awareness of the healing power of chiropractic for very sick children and also to benefit the center.

“It is through the amazing generosity and support of people all around the world that allows us the opportunity to help children with their journey back to optimal health. I am extremely hopeful that our expanded campaign efforts to businesses in your community this upcoming year will not only increase the awareness of our mission, but allow us to provide more children with the chiropractic care they so desperately need,” says Dr. James O’Dwyer, Director of “Oklahaven” Children’s Chiropractic Center.

Pediatric Chiropractic has proved to be effective in improving the health of children through treatment that is natural and medication-free.  Oklahaven’s specializes in treating neurologically disorganized children, including failure to thrive, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, ADHD, and the autism spectrum.

To learn more about “Oklahaven“, sign up for the 2010 Have-A-Heart campaign, or to make a donation please visit www.chiropractic4kids.com.

Technorati Tags: ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, chiropractic, developmental delays, failure to thrive, pediatric chiropractic

As an Orlando chiropractor my practice includes pediatric chiropractor because I believe in the health benefits of chiropractic for children, and I think we’d all agree that giving children the very best foundation possible for their mind and body is vitally important. After all, growing into adulthood is difficult at its best, without having health issues to contend with. I meet a lot of parents who, among their other parental worries, are concerned about the height of their children, that is to say, if their children are short. I’ve been asked if chiropractic adjustments can help a child to grow taller. Well, the answer is both “yes” and “no,” depending on the reason for the child’s short stature. But, whether or not there’s a corrective solution, parents of short children should stop worrying. Here’s why:

A new study shows that short children are no more likely to be depressed, unpopular with their classmates, or have other social and emotional problems than their taller peers. Good news concerned parents! Apparently, the “traumas and dramas” of childhood happen to children of all shapes and sizes.

The study, published in Pediatrics, analyzed data on 712 sixth-graders. Twenty-eight children were classified as having short stature, i.e., they were below the 10th percentile on a growth chart; the remaining children were non-short stature (10th percentile and up). Average height was considered between 25th and 75th percentiles.

The social and emotional well-being of the study group was measured through a number of questionnaires answered by their teachers and the children, themselves. Short children reported slightly higher levels of being victimized or teased by their peers, but there was no difference on other measures of depression, behavioral problems, or popularity.

As soon as a baby is born, pediatricians start monitoring that child’s height and weight by percentile. Although low numbers may create anxiety in parents, that anxiety is likely unwarranted, the researchers write. The short children in the study “reported marginally higher levels of peer victimization … this was not associated with poorer adaptation,” said Joyce Lee, MD, MPH with the department of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues.

So, listen up parents of short children because the researchers concluded that short children may interpret the everyday teasing as more significant because their parents “verbalize concerns about their child’s height and its possible negative impact on social functioning.” The best thing that any parent can do for their children is to encourage them to feel confident and secure about themselves and to measure their “growth” from the inside out.

Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, pediatric chiropractic