Chiropractic care meets the needs of the unborn child, the mom, and her baby after birth. It is strongly recommended by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) that specific analysis and adjustment of the sacrum be used throughout pregnancy. The Webster technique is used to detect imbalance and optimize pelvic biomechanics in preparation for safer and easier delivery. Because of the effect the adjustment has on all body functions to reduce nerve system disturbance, pregnant women should have their spines checked regularly throughout pregnancy, in order to optimize the health benefits for both the mother and baby. At Eagle Valley Chiropractic we take special precautions during pregnancy such as modifying the table and the adjusting techniques.

Benefits of chiropractic care for the unborn child:

• Prevents breech position of the baby, reducing likeliness of C-section.
• Removes interference to the mother’s nervous system.
• Permits unobstructed development of the baby.
• Allows the baby more room to develop without restrictions to its forming skeletal structures and move into the best possible position for birth.
• Reduces potential birth trauma caused by emergency intervention if labor is difficult or prolonged.

Benefits of chiropractic care for the pregnant mother:

• Creates a balance in the pelvic bones, muscles and ligaments which prepares the pelvis for an easier pregnancy and birth.
• Relieves back and neck discomfort/pain during pregnancy.
• Reduces interference to the mother’s nervous system, which controls and coordinates all of the body’s systems and functions.
• Significant decrease in difficult labor, due to proper fetal positioning.
• Allows for a more comfortable and safer labor and delivery for both mother and baby.
• Decreases the need for medical intervention during birth.
• Reduces the length of labor.

Nutritional support for mom and baby:

Nutritional therapy is essential for both mom and baby. We believe that prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum supplementation must be of the highest quality and appropriate for the woman’s needs to optimize her health and that of her growing baby. Eagle Valley Chiropractic uses high quality supplements to meet the needs of both mother and baby. Post-partum support is also very important to prevent the mom from being depleted of nutrients, give the baby a strong immune system and vital gut flora from breast milk, and balance hormones that can lead to post- partum depression.

Parents will do everything they can to protect their children’s health. They serve nutritional food, encourage daily exercise and insist on regular dental and eye examinations. Yet many parents neglect an important part of a childhood health care program—regular spinal checkups.

Monthly checkups to detect spinal misalignments (subluxations) are advised for all youths along with an overall nutritional assessment. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms below, please schedule an appointment with us.

INFANTS (trauma during birth and car seats are common causes of spinal misalignments)

• Ear infection
• Colic
• Constipation
• Trouble breast-feeding
• Restricted head or neck motion
• Failure to thrive
• Abnormal head shape

YOUNG CHILDREN (recurrent falls, sports activities and injuries commonly cause misalignments)

• Bed-wetting
• Frequent colds or flu
• Hyperactivity
• Fever
• Autism
• Asthma
• Attention Deficient Disorder
• Stomach ache
• Sore throat
• Scoliosis
• Night terrors

TEENS (rapid growth spurts, hormone changes, sports injuries and poor nutrition can put teens at risk for subluxations)

• Anxiety
• PMS
• Allergies
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Scoliosis
• Headaches
• Poor posture
• Depression

It is important to understand that chiropractic is not a treatment for disease. The purpose of chiropractic care is to reduce nervous system stress, a serious but often painless condition most children (and adults) have in their bodies. The bumps and bruises of childhood can affect the development of the spine and lead to impaired function of your child’s nervous system. In turn, interference to your child’s nervous system can adversely affect their body’s ability to heal itself and function at its best. Chiropractic adjustment procedures are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal condition. Spinal adjustments for infants and young children involve very light finger-tip adjustments. They are gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures.

For more information on chiropractic and children, visit http://www.icpa4kids.org.