Children's Health Program

Many parents are looking for holistic approaches to support their child’s health and wellness. While conventional medicine is appropriate to monitor a child’s health condition and growth, there are often complementary ways to keep your child in balance as he or she passes through the stages of growth from infancy through adolescence.

A child’s body is not like an adult’s body. A child is growing and developing rapidly, and being exposed for the first time to many different infections and environmental stressors.

A well-balanced and stress free nervous system is needed by every child to funtion properly.

At ChiroMom, Dr. Dana will work with you and your child to support his or her optimal wellness, including recovery from the common ailments of childhood – allergies, colds, ear infections, colic and more. Research has shown that children under regular chiropractic care experience fewer ear and respiratory infections and need less antibiotics. Chiropractic care can also help children with ADD/ADHD adapt better to their environments. Spinal imbalances (subluxations) can occur as early as the birth process and this may cause irritation on the baby’s nerves. If left undetected, a child may not be able to function at their optimal potential. For decades clinicians and parents have reported on the effectiveness of chiropractic care for children with many kinds of neurological conditions including learning disorders, hperactivity, dyslexia, inability to concentrate and behavior problems.

The following is a case history that appeared in the peer reviewed journal, JMPT, 2004. “A five year old boydiagnosed with ADHD, difficult behavior and facial tics was in Ritalin, Adderall, and Haldol for years. After eight weeks of chiropractic care his facial tics resolved and his behavior vastly improved. The child’s pediatrician said he no longer exhibited ADHD symptoms”

“An eight year old boy had many learning and behavioral disorders associated with ADHD that seemed to begin after a fall 18 months prior. For the past 18 months the child’s symptoms had remained virtually unchanged. After two months of chiropractic care his mother noted positive changes in behavior and a reduction in his complaints of headaches and neck pain symptoms. In addition, reports from his teachers remarked on the positive changes in his behavior and improvements in academic performance.” JVSR, October 2006

All Children can benefit from a chiropractic examination to ensure that they are free of strucutral imbalances which may be affecting their overall functioning. Children respond well to many complementary therapies including chiropractic, nutritional therapy, and massage therapy. You are welcome to schedule an appointment for your child with Dr. Dana for an Initial Wellness Consultation to review your child’s needs.


Children’s Health Related Articles:

The Importance of Essential Fatty Acids for Children

We all love our children and wish them health and success in everything they do. Nothing is more important to their vibrancy and success than a healthy mind and body. Proper nutrition is an essential part of the growing years.

We prepare meals for our families with proper nutrition as the key element but many kids are picky. It is always a good idea to vary the offerings so that they may try new foods which may appeal to them. As a guide, offer your children a colorful meal containing fruits and vegetables. Aside from getting nutrients from vegetable sources it is important for children to get enough essential fatty acids in their diets. These are found in deep water fish including salmon, tuna and swordfish, which is usually not the favorite of the toddler-set. Parents may also have concerns about the mercury levels in deep water seafood.

“When your child is unwilling or unable to eat the foods which are richest in essential vitamins and minerals you may want to try offering them well -formulated supplements.” says Dr. Dana Walters, of ChiroMom. Dr. Walters strongly recommends DHA for children. DHA is an essential fatty acid and supports brain and nervous system health. According to the Journal Child Development, babies born to mothers who had higher blood levels of DHA scored better on the attention tests to six months of age and they scored better on different tests designed to measure visual learning in older babies at one year and eighteen months. It is important to continue providing DHA to children’s diets for continued healthy brain and nerve function. Well-formulated essential fatty acid supplements are safe, tested for pesticides, heavy metals and contaminants.

 Backpack Safety

Backpacks come in all sizes and colors and kids love to pick them out for themselves. The size and weight of the backpack should be considered.

When worn correctly the weight of a backpack is evenly distributed across the body. However, if used incorrectly they can strain muscles and joints and may cause back and neck pain. Most people associate back pain with adulthood, but a new and disturbing trend is emerging. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing factor. Improper backpack use can also lead to poor posture. Girls and younger children may be especially at risk for backpack related injuries because they are smaller and may carry loads that are heavier in proportion to their body weight. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports,that backpack related injuries send thousands of people to the emergency rooms each year.

What can you do? The ACA offers the following tips to prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause your children.

Most importantly your child’s backpack should weigh no more than 5-10% of his or her body weight. A heavier one would cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on their back, rather than on their shoulders, by the straps.

A backpack should be adjusted to sit no more than 4 inches below the waistline. If it hangs too low it increases the weight on the shoulders causing your child to lean forward when walking.

Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps so that the child does not lean to one side. Otherwise this can lead to neck pain and muscle spasms as well as low back pain. The straps of the bag should also be padded so that they do not dig into your child’s shoulders.

Explain to your child that they may decide which books they need to carry each day and which books they can leave at home for their homework. Make sure they are not carrying around unnecessary items such as laptops and video games which add to the weight of their backpack.

If you or your child experience any pain from backpack use, a chiropractic examination should be performed to diagnose any spinal imbalances which could be a result of improper backpack use. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, they can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits

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Hours of Operation

Monday

9:30 am - 7:00 pm

Tuesday

By Appointment

Wednesday

9:30 am - 7:00 pm

Thursday

9:30 am - 7:00 pm

Friday

By Appointment

Saturday

8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Sunday

Closed

Monday
9:30 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesday
By Appointment
Wednesday
9:30 am - 7:00 pm
Thursday
9:30 am - 7:00 pm
Friday
By Appointment
Saturday
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Sunday
Closed