What You Should Know About Your Baby’s Spinal Health

Nobody’s surprised when adults complain of back trouble. Yet many people are surprised to learn that babies can have trouble with their spinal health as well.

Your baby will never open his mouth and say, “Oh, my aching back!” However, his back trouble will manifest itself in different ways! It’s important to understand the symptoms and risk factors associated with pediatric spinal problems.

Here are three things you should be aware of.

Birth is traumatic for your baby, too.

Even a normal, natural delivery with absolutely no complications can be very traumatic to the baby as well as to the mother. After all, the baby’s body is being squeezed through a very narrow passageway!

The trauma is increased, however, when the process does not go smoothly. When doctors must use forceps or deliver via C-section there is a chance that the baby’s spine may become severely misaligned. Thus, it’s important to make an appointment to check out your baby’s spinal alignment a few weeks after birth.

This trauma manifests itself in the form of two very familiar early childhood diseases: colic and ear infections.

Colic is distressing because babies cry and scream for seemingly no apparent reason. Colic is often the result of a subluxation in the spinal column. This misalignment irritates the nerves leading into the baby’s stomach, making it difficult for your baby to digest his food properly in addition to any back discomfort the baby may be feeling. The baby feels gassy, crampy, and achy as a result. No wonder he’s screaming! Thus, we can correct the crying by correcting the problem.

What about ear infections? While it’s true that bacteria do infect blocked Eustachian tubes, it is not true that antibiotics are the only answer. A physical manipulation of the spine and neck muscles can allow the tubes to drain normally, giving the baby’s own immune system the support it needs to clear up the infection naturally. Easing the muscles that are causing the blockage in the first place is a safe, sane, and sensible solution and an alternative to placing your baby on dangerous pharmaceuticals at a very young age.

The way you’re carrying your baby could be putting his health at risk.

Various “time honored” methods for carrying your baby can actually result in additional spinal problems. These problematic carrying procedures include:

• Leaving your baby in car seat carriers for long periods of time.
• Baby slings or carriers which force the baby’s legs into a straight, dangling position.

These methods can put your baby at risk for plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), hip dysplasia, or spondylolysis. Of the three, spondylolysis is the most frightening, as this condition literally breaks your child’s vertebrae and causes them to drift apart.

Choosing the right baby carrier can make all the difference. You want to invest in one of the following:

• A horizontal sling.
• A sling which allows your baby to cross his legs inside of the carrier.
• A carrier which allows your baby to grip your body with his legs and feet (we call this the “frog” position, because it makes your baby look like a little frog).

The carrier you choose should be appropriate to the age of your baby. An infant who can’t hold his head up will need the horizontal sling, whereas an older child who can hold his head up and look around can adopt the frog position quite successfully.

If you’ve been using the more traditional methods, you should make a switch to one of the safer carrier types as quickly as possible. You should also bring your child in for a chiropractic check-up. An adjustment can restore your baby’s health by correcting any spinal or hip misalignments which may have happened in the past.

Pediatric chiropractic care is a safe, effective way to treat your baby’s spinal issues.

We use a very soft instrument to correct problems in your baby’s spine. The amount of pressure that we need to use is no harsher than a finger flick. This is because the baby’s spine is still developing. If you’re hesitant to make a chiropractic appointment for your infant because you’re afraid that the chiropractor will “crack” his spine, you can put that fear to rest. Pediatric chiropractic care is very different from adult chiropractic care.

Remember, chiropractic is really just about helping the body heal through physical manipulation of the body. It’s not at odds with chemical-based medicine. It’s the other part of the health equation. It’s also the best answer for some conditions…there’s no antibiotic or shot that your pediatrician can give you if you need to correct a case of hip dysplasia!

West Knoxville Chiropractic understands that pregnancy and post-delivery health are important to all parents. If you’re struggling with back pain from your pregnancy or from carrying your baby around, we would love to offer you a new patient evaluation and give you relief you so clearly deserve.