Children and Chiropractic
Throughout this book we find many case studies
involving children. In this section we show that various
researchers have documented and reported on the intimate
relationship between spinal health and overall health in
children.
As mentioned in the ICA Review Sept/Oct 1995 p.5.
The Journal
of Pediatrics reports that ‘Alternative
Medicine (AM) is an aspect of child health care that no longer
can be ignored’ in a study that determined that 11%
of those surveyed had taken their child to an AM provider.
The most used was chiropractic. The mothers who chose AM
were better educated than those who chose conventional medicine.
The
medical reasons for seeking alternative care were for respiratory
(27%), ENT (24%), musculoskeletal (15%), skin (6%), gastrointestinal
(6%), allergies (6%), and prevention (5%). The factors influencing
choice of AM were word of mouth (32%), fear of drug side-effects
(21%), chronic medical problems (19%), dissatisfaction with
conventional medicine (14%), and more personalized attention
(9%).
Upper cervical chiropractic care of the pediatric patient:
A review of the literature Prax, JC Journal Of Clinical Chiropractic
Pediatrics Volume 4, No. 1 1999
This is a review of the literature
on upper cervical adjustments in the pediatric patient (infants
and small children). The author extracted data from indexed
and non-indexed sources with four computer-based systems: Mantis,
Medline, Index to the Chiropractic Literature, and Chirolars.
Non-indexed literature was reviewed manually utilizing references
from journals and textbooks.
Approximately 58 articles on chiropractic
care of the pediatric patient in relation to upper cervical
adjustments (full spine chiropractic techniques may have been
used as well) were found. This review summarizes 25 studies
documenting the positive outcomes on over one thousand children
under chiropractic care.
Characteristics of 217 children attending
a chiropractic college teaching clinic. Nyiendo J. Olsen E.J
Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1988; 11(2):78084.
The authors found
that pediatric patients at Western States Chiropractic College
public clinic commonly had ordinary complaints of ear-infection,
sinus problems, allergy, bedwetting, respiratory problems,
and gastro-intestinal problems.
Complete or substantial improvement
had been noted in 61.6% of pediatric patients of their chief
complaint, 60.6% received “maximum” level
of improvement. Only 56.7% of adult patients received “maximum” level
of improvement.
Cumulative incidence of lumbar disc diseases
leading to hospitalization up to the age of 28 years. Zitting,
P, Rantakallio P, Vanharanta H. Spine 1998;23(21): 2337-42.
Investigators
in Finland in a review of 12,000 cases of possible lumbar disc
disease in subjects 28 years of age or less revealed that disc
disease may begin as early as 15 years of age.
Back pain reporting
pattern in a Danish population-based sample of children and
adolescents. Wedderkopp N,Leboeuf-Yde C, Andersen LB, Froberg
K, Hansen HS Spine 2001; 26(17): 1879-83
Researchers surveyed
481 children, 8-10 years old and 325 adolescents 14-16 years
old. Within a one month period, 39% stated they had experienced
back pain – the thoracic
(mid-back) area being the most common area of complaint in
childhood; thoracic and lumbar (low back) pain is more common
among adolescents. Neck pain was rare in those surveyed.
Copyright
2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren,
D.C.