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Frequently Asked Questions
How safe is chiropractic for a child?
Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of children’s health care. A chiropractor does not adjust a baby or a child the same way as he or she adjusts an adult. A baby’s spine is very supple during the first few months of life, so the doctor of chiropractic applies only a slight amount of manual pressure or uses an extremely low force instrument to make an adjustment. For older children whose spine is still made of mainly cartilage, light manual or low force, specific instrument adjusting is all that is required to put the vertebra back in place.
When should I take my child to a chiropractor?
When you want to give your child a head start in good health and all the benefits of a conservative, drugless approach to health care, you should take your child to a chiropractor. It is important to have a chiropractic exam during the first year of a child’s life as spinal trauma can occur during birth, as well as from tumbles while learning to sit up or walk. Improper lifting and carrying can also contribute to spinal stress. Your child’s spine grows almost 50% in length during the first year. This is equivalent to a six-footer growing to nine feet in just 12 months! It’s this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make a thorough examination so important in the early stages of a child’s life. If there is a problem, the earlier it is corrected the better, as issues can resolve many common ailments in babies and children.
Doctors of chiropractic believe it’s much more important to prevent diseases than wait till some disease occurs.
How can chiropractic care help an older child who is not sick?
Chiropractors do not treat diseases, they help to correct spinal misalignments that cause interference to the nerves exiting the spine as they trying to communicate with the brain and the corresponding body part causing health problems. Through regular adjustments, counseling on proper nutrition, exercise, and posture, the chiropractor can help you raise a child who is structurally and functionally sound. The number one “illness” in children is accidents. You may not realize it, but youngsters take numerous tumbles — learning to ride a bike, or even just jumping and running around or especially if your child takes part in athletic activities. These underlying injuries, if left uncorrected, can cause serious problems as the child grows into adulthood.
Doctors of chiropractic can do more than correct these problems. They can also help improve performance on and off the field by helping the body to function at its optimum level, naturally, and without drugs.
What if my child has a health problem that does not respond to chiropractic care?
Doctors of chiropractic are trained as primary care physicians and therefore to recognize complex health problems. Their primary obligation is the welfare of the child. When the doctor of chiropractic or any doctor reaches the limits of their skill and authority that they are “ethically and morally bound to make patient referrals to practitioners in other fields of healing when such referrals are necessary to provide the highest quality of patient care.” We do just that, and in a timely manner.
Do all Doctors of Chiropractic care for children? How do I choose?
All chiropractic schools have required courses in pediatrics. Doctors of Chiropractic are also licensed in all 50 states of the US to provide chiropractic care to children and adults. However, there are chiropractors who take postgraduate courses in pediatrics after graduation because they want to specialize in this field. The ICPA International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association offers a 2-year postgraduate Certification by the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics (CACCP). Since all chiropractors are licensed to care for children, there are many doctors of chiropractic who also generally see children in their practice on a regular basis. When you choose a DC who is a member of the ICPA, you will get a chiropractor who is certified in chiropractic pediatrics (with the CACCP or DACCP credential) or is in family practice and has some experience in caring for children.
The ICPA updates its members with the latest in chiropractic pediatric care, provides current research and provides them with opportunities to continually refine and/or expand their diagnostic and clinical skills with continuing education classes or other resources.Have you received special pediatric training?
Yes, Chiropractic is safe for babies and children of all ages. There are special methods for analyzing and adjusting a child’s spine. Dr. Brie is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and has received advanced special training in pediatrics and prenatal care and stays up to date on current research.
How old should my child be for its first adjustment?
We recommend children be checked as early as possible after birth to guarantee that there is no interference to their nerve system from the birth process. In an infant, subluxations often do not immediately cause obvious symptoms. However, colic, difficulty latching on, difficulty nursing, and reflux are common signs of more severe nerve pressure in newborns. Dr. Brie’s children were adjusted immediately following birth and her youngest in-office was 4 hours old.
Does chiropractic treatment require a referral from an MD?
A referral is usually never needed to see a doctor of chiropractic (DC); however, your health plan may have specific referral requirements. You may want to contact our office to verify your specific plan criteria—or the insurance plan directly—to find out if there are any referral requirements. Most plans allow you to just call and schedule an appointment with a DC. We also accept self-pay patients with no referrals.
Do insurance plans cover chiropractic?
Yes. Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, however some aspects of care are not completely covered. Medicaid plans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans for federal employees, among others. We accept most every insurance plan. For those that we aren’t able to get in network with we offer affordable self pay options.
How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a low force instrument or manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands--or a gentle instrument--to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient's pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment. Children are not adjusted that same way as an adult and often times, the babies can sleep right through their adjustments, as they are so gentle.
Why do pregnant women see chiropractors?
Women seek chiropractic care for various purposes during pregnancy. Since body composition and posture is regularly changing throughout pregnancy it leads to discomfort in areas like low back, pelvis and even pubic region. Although the idea of having your body adjusted while having a baby in tow may seem a bit scary, the research and evidence out there proves it to be perfectly safe. Seeking a chiropractor with advanced education and certification in prenatal care is highly recommended. It can assist with pain relief, the proper positioning of the pelvis allowing for optimal baby positioning, improved nervous system and immune function, general improvmenents with mental health, headache relief, and postpartum regulation.