At Sims & Finn Chiropractic we have been serving our local communities since 1962. During this time, we have seen a wide range of ages for chiropractic care. Our youngest being a few days old and our most mature being in their 90’s. You might wonder why a baby or child would go to the chiropractor?
Let us explain.
Firstly, Chiropractic is more than a fantastic option for back pain, it is most commonly utilized in our communities to improve spinal function and enhance the body’s ability to adapt to its environment; including the physical stress we put our bodies under, not limited to, manual labour, sedentary lifestyle, falls and bumps etc.
But a baby doesn’t sit at a computer all day or lift heavy things at work! That’s true, however the process of merely being born can place physical stress on such a tiny body, then comes crawling and bumping into walls, and then learning to stand and falling on the bum many times per day followed by learning to walk. All these things are physical stresses that places extra pressure on the spine. It is important to allow a little body to grow without any spinal limitations or restrictions. Chiropractic can support a growing spine, naturally.
Hmm okay, that makes sense, but is Chiropractic safe for my baby?
In Australia the Chiropractic profession is well established with over 300,000 visits to the chiropractor each week. Approximately 30,000 of these visits are children under the age of 18.
In 2019 Safer Care Victoria performed a review into the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic care in children under 12 years old. The review found the following:
· 99.7% of parents surveyed reported a positive experience with chiropractic care for their children
· 98% said that chiropractic care helped their child, indicating improvement after treatment
· 99.1% indicated they were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with information provided by the chiropractor about the benefits of treatment
· 95.8% stated they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the information provided about the risk of treatment
21,824 submissions in total were received into this review of chiropractic care – the largest of ANY public stakeholder engagement.
If you’ve been curious about your child consulting with a chiropractor but unsure if it’s the right fit for your situation please feel free to give us a call and we’d be happy to talk through your circumstances to see if chiropractic might be right for your family.
At Sims & Finn Chiropractic, we utilize gentle and effective techniques specifically designed for newborns and young children. Our approach is always tailored to each child’s unique needs, with a strong emphasis on safety, comfort, and respect for the delicacy of growing bodies. Assessments focus on the health and development of your baby’s spine and nervous system, which play a critical role in their growth, movement, and overall wellbeing. Our practitioners have undertaken additional advanced education in paediatric chiropractic care, including training through the Inspiral Paediatrics programs created by Dr. Genevieve Keating, as well as courses through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) Diplomat Programs. This commitment to specialised education ensures we provide informed, evidence-informed, and compassionate care to support your child’s development in a natural way.
If you are interested in exploring research about the safety and benefits of chiropractic care for babies and children, here are 8 articles and papers you may find valuable:
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Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. (2009) The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore (NY). 5(5):290–295.
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Marchand AM. (2012) Chiropractic care of children from birth to adolescence and classification of reported conditions: an internet cross-sectional survey of 956 European chiropractors. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 35(5):372–380.
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Todd AJ, Carroll MT, Robinson A, Mitchell EKL. (2015) Adverse events due to chiropractic and other manual therapies for infants and children: A review of the literature. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 38(9):699–712.
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Miller JE, Newell D, Bolton JE. (2009) Efficacy of chiropractic manual therapy on infant colic: a pragmatic single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 32(8): 615–619.
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Carnes D, Mars TS, Mullinger B, Froud R, Underwood M. (2010) Adverse events and manual therapy: a systematic review. Manual Therapy. 15(4):355–363.
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Hayden C, Mullinger B. (2006) A pilot study into the efficacy of cranial osteopathy in the treatment of infant colic. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 12(2):83–90.
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Alcantara J, Alcantara JD, Alcantara J. (2018) The chiropractic care of infants with excessive crying, sleep disturbances, difficulty breastfeeding and irritable infant syndrome: A systematic review of the literature. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 31:46–60.
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Vallone SA. (2007) Chiropractic evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunction in infants demonstrating difficulty breastfeeding. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. 8(1):349–368.
If you’d like more information or to discuss whether chiropractic care could be beneficial for your baby, please feel free to contact our team—we’re here to help support your family’s health journey.