Pediatric Chiropractor in Rome, GA

The Differences in Pediatric Chiropractic Care

A pediatric chiropractor sees a pediatric patient very differently than he would see an adult. Children's spines are still growing, their bodies and joints are more pliable, and their nervous systems are growing and developing more rapidly than most people would ever guess. the adjustments and techniques need to be very specific.

The type of pressure used by a Rome Pediatric Chiropractor is the kind of touch one might use to press into a ripe tomato. There's no jarring or rapid motion, no jerking, and no snapping of the neck. Most children do not even know what has happened. Many fall asleep on the adjustment table, some are giggling, and others don't even have the awareness that they have ever had a problem.

A chiropractic adjustment for a regular adult focuses primarily on joints that have developed some wear and compensation over time. With children the issues are far different. We look for slight deviations in the child's alignment that may have happened at birth, while learning to walk or from a tumble from a jungle gym in the Ridge Ferry Park neighborhood in Rome. These conditions present themselves differently. Here's what some of the more common presenting signs include before a parent will come in to see the pediatric chiropractor in Rome.

• Restlessness and/or trouble sleeping or sleeping through the night
• Recurring ear infections
• Difficulty nursing on one side or latching on
• Unexplained and/or chronic crying
• Crawling crooked and one-sided

90% of the time, parents will come in only after having exhausted other options. And we don't fault them one bit.

During a pediatric chiropractic examination, the child will be observed moving and playing in an environment that he is comfortable with. The exam includes observing head tilt, how they hold their neck, response to palpation of the spine and how they respond to certain pressures. Pediatric adjustments use fingertip pressure or instrument pressure that is designed and adapted to the child's age and size. This is described and taught by The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association [1]. Every assessment is age-specific, whether we're seeing a two-week-old or a twelve-year-old.

Pediatric chiropractic care is not looking for pain relief, but rather for proper neurological development, nervous system communication, and proper spinal development. These are the factors that separate a good doctor for an infant and/or child. The goal is to allow growth and development without interference of the system to make sure it works properly.

How Do I Know If a Chiropractic Visit is Right for My Kid?

A child cannot always tell you what the problem may be. They will show you!

Your child tilts their head or neck constantly to one side? Your 7 year old comes home from school and says, "My legs hurt!" "My legs always hurt me." "Leg pain!" And you tell him, "Oh that's okay, it's just growing pains!" "It happens to all kids!" You hear that one here in Rome, Georgia from every single parent that comes in for a consultation, every single week! Sometimes that really is the problem; it really is only growing pains. At other times, it can be something very simple to resolve once you look at and know what you are looking for.

Some common indicators that suggest your child might benefit from a chiropractic checkup include:

• Frequent ear infections or chronic congestion that persists
• Insomnia, irritability, and general restlessness at night
• Uneven shoulders, head tilt, or one-leg shortness
• Complaints of sore neck or back pain
• Challenges with nursing, especially for newborn babies

Is what I'm seeing actually a reason to visit a doctor? We see this question quite often in West Rome. Parents will walk in and say: "I'm not even sure this is what you're trained to deal with.", That's a common concern and it's better to seek an opinion than to make an incorrect assumption.

Sometimes, it's difficult to identify what's causing a problem or to know whether there is any problem at all. A kid who sits on the floor in the 'W' shape regularly might be experiencing uneven pelvis alignment. A baby that only nurses from one side may have a restricted range of motion in the neck from day one. Most people don't even make the connection between a child's back and these kinds of problems, so they can easily be overlooked.

In fact, a child who can't focus at school, who won't stop squirming or who is slouching over may not have attention issues. They may be in physical discomfort. We have seen Rome families come to us after many months of worry, with the only thing found during their first visit a very simple problem that we could help them with.

When you look at your child, you know them best. So if something seems off, trust your gut. An exam is so short that there is very little to lose and only real information to be found. The best place to begin is by contacting a chiropractor today.

During Your Child's First Appointment

Many parents who arrive at our clinic in Rome have never brought their child to a chiropractor before. That's perfectly okay; we see it all the time.

The important thing to remember is that we aren't going to rush your kid onto a table. We'll start out by talking. We want to know what you've noticed at home. Is your little one only looking to the left? Does your seven-year-old complain about an aching neck after sports? Or maybe your young one just won't seem to get a good night's sleep, despite many trips to the pediatrician. Whatever you've noticed, we want to know about it.

From there, your child's appointment typically goes like this:

• We perform a gentle, hands-on check-up of your kid's spine and posture in a comfortable position (often in your lap).
• We check how your child walks, how he or she stands and how their head rotates to assess where there is tension or limited movement.
• We'll tell you in plain English what we've found so you know what is going on with their body.
• During the same appointment, we'll discuss whether an adjustment is appropriate and explain the process in detail before you agree.

The adjustment isn't like you see for adults. We don't twist, turn, or hear the typical clicking or popping noises. For infants, the pressure is about as light as a gentle fingertip touch. For older kids in the North Broad Street area of the city (like post-sports injury) that come in for the first time, we do press a bit more on them. However, even with that, it remains pretty light.

Children will typically respond much better to chiropractic adjustment than parents might imagine!

Most first appointments in our Rome office take approximately 30 minutes. If you have any medical reports on file for your child, please bring them with you. However, do not feel obligated to do so if you have forgotten them at home, or if you feel unable to do so on short notice. Additionally, please don't be surprised if your child is fussy, or even scared to get an adjustment done the first time. We have children who have cried throughout their entire first visit with us only to have a great visit the second time. Our staff have many years of experience in pediatric chiropractic. We know how to read a child's body language and we are always changing up the approach, depending on how the child is presenting to us.

Once you are done being adjusted, you will have an understanding of what was found, what we are going to recommend, and why it is recommended. You will also be under no pressure to make any decisions that day.

Chiropractic Care for Young Athletes in Rome

There are all sorts of youth sports going on here in Rome throughout the year: football, soccer, gymnastics, baseball, cheerleading, etc. Their bones and muscles are getting worn down before they're done growing.

We treat young athletes here on a regular basis who have complaints that you wouldn't expect to see at a very young age. They'll complain, for example, that their shoulder feels different as they play baseball. One might tell you about chronic pain in the lower back despite stretching. Another could report that they have headaches after football practice that is located on a specific side of the head. These children do not have any injuries. Something is wrong, and very frequently, the problem can be traced back to their spines.

Bodies are still growing, they have growth plates. Ligaments are still loose. Joints are loose. If a young athlete trains hard, their spines may develop small, subtle subluxations which may then interfere with the way a child moves, recovers, and plays sports. This is why a pediatric chiropractor could be so important for your young athlete; they can fix problems before they get much worse.

This is what we commonly look for in children who are athletes:

• One hip is higher than the other due to doing things with one leg more than the other
• Limited range of motion in the neck and mid-back
• Muscles become tight in areas that can be indicative of spinal compensation
• Pain becomes a regular occurrence and isn't going away with rest alone

The adjustments we perform on young athletes participating in sports are quick. We are not twisting their backs around like you might have seen in movies. The adjustments we perform are low force. They are sized to fit a young child's body and skeletal structure. It is the goal to restore proper joint function in the child's body. That is the goal of pediatric chiropractic adjustment.

In Rome, most kids see a chiropractor after they've tried everything else: rest, ice, over the counter meds.

And in many cases, we work alongside coaches and trainers when needed. If your child plays on a travel team or competes at a high level, regular spinal checks can be part of keeping them on the field instead of sitting out.

We can help you with infant care in Rome

Parents often come through our office every week with a fussy infant they just cannot get to settle down or sleep. Sometimes, they are having problems with the baby latching and breastfeeding. Or they might be arching their back during every naptime and crying. I know what you are thinking: "How do I get them to sleep? What am I going to do?!" That look of concern on their face says it all.

What most don't understand is that a baby has been through a very difficult time and even something as simple as a natural delivery puts some stress and strain on the spine and neck. The stress and strain is even worse during a difficult labor or C-section.

The type of adjustment you may be familiar with as an adult is very different to an infant. We never twist or crack a baby. The only pressure we use on a baby's body is with the tip of your finger. It is so light that sometimes babies don't even move or wake up. Many of the parents that we see around the West Rome area have said, "I'm sorry, I was expecting a bit more than that and you know what, I don't know why I did! It was so gentle that they barely even felt it."

A parent may visit our office with their infant if the following conditions are present:

We will look at the range of motion in the neck. We will feel along the spine to locate areas of tension. We will examine the body in stillness. Nine out of ten times we find that the area is not where it should be. One or more visits to our office could result in better sleeping, feeding, or even just overall improvement with the baby's well being.

Chiropractic care from our Rome office has been performed for many years. You will see that our team has years of hands-on experience with infants and children and your baby is in good hands at our office. Contact our family chiropractor in Rome, Georgia, and get started today.

However, this is also a new experience for you. We want you to be comfortable and to feel that you have been given all of the information you need. We explain every procedure to our parents beforehand. Our parents may continue to hold their child and remain present for every step of the process.