Most Trusted Pediatric Chiropractic Care Provider in Lakeview/Lincoln Park
Chiropractic Pediatrics for Infants & Babies
Welcoming a new child to your home is a wonderful, crazy, life-changing event. That little one is the most important part of your life, so we want to make sure they get the best start in theirs. While you’re scheduling your child’s wellness checks, it is absolutely crucial to bring your baby into our pediatric chiropractor for their initial 5 wellness checks and exams!
I know what you’re thinking; I hear it all the time. “Why on Earth would a baby need to go to the chiropractor?”
No one says it better than our family chiropractic practitioner, Dr. Schey, when she replies, “Even babies have spines!”
The early stages of life are a time of rapid development and change. From birth itself, which places a significant amount of strain on a newborn’s spine, to the many tumbles that come with learning to sit, crawl, and walk—there are many opportunities for small misalignments to occur. Chiropractic care for babies and children isn’t just about treating pain; it’s about promoting overall health, supporting proper growth, and ensuring their nervous system is functioning at its best.
At Advanced Spine & Sports Care, we specialize in Pediatric Chiropractic Treatment in Chicago, providing gentle and effective care that supports your baby’s growth from the very beginning.
Why Pediatric Chiropractic Care is Crucial
In the first year of life, a baby’s body and nervous system experience unparalleled growth, and it is crucial to ensure the nervous system is functioning properly during these critical months of growth. Pediatric chiropractic treatment aims to support healthy spinal alignment, which in turn promotes optimal nervous system function.
Some parents are initially hesitant to bring their baby to a chiropractor, thinking, “Why would my baby need an adjustment?”
The answer lies in the natural stresses of early life. Even the process of birth itself can cause strain on a baby’s spine, leading to minor misalignments or subluxations that can disrupt the nervous system. These subluxations, while small, can affect everything from digestion to sleep quality, making early chiropractic care a valuable tool in your baby’s wellness journey.
Common Pediatric Issues That Chiropractic Can Help
Parents often seek out chiropractic care for their babies when they notice common issues such as:
-
- Colic: A colicky baby is a challenge for any parent. Gentle spinal adjustments can help soothe digestive discomfort and reduce crying episodes.
-
- Ear Infections: Recurring ear infections can be related to spinal misalignments, and chiropractic care can help improve drainage and prevent infections.
-
- Reflux: Gastroesophageal reflux in babies can cause discomfort, but chiropractic adjustments can assist with proper digestive function.
-
- Sleep Problems: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep can sometimes be related to discomfort caused by misalignments in the spine.
-
- Difficulty Latching: For breastfeeding mothers, chiropractic care can help babies with latch issues by improving alignment and reducing discomfort during feeding.
These are just a few of the ways chiropractic treatment for babies and kids in Chicago can make a difference. By addressing these concerns early, you can help ensure your child develops without unnecessary discomfort or health obstacles. The truth is, no one needs a chiropractor more than a baby in the first year of his or her life.
The Importance of Early Chiropractic Care
Birth is an extraordinary event, but it’s also a physically demanding process for both mother and baby. The pressure exerted during birth, even in natural deliveries, can sometimes lead to misalignment in the baby’s delicate spine, particularly in the cervical (neck) area.
These tiny subluxations might not be immediately noticeable but can later manifest in issues like feeding difficulties, colic, or general discomfort.
As your baby grows, they continue to face physical challenges as they learn to sit, crawl, and walk. Each tumble and fall, no matter how minor, can cause slight misalignments that may impact their development. Chiropractic care provides a gentle, natural way to ensure your child’s spine remains healthy and well-aligned during these crucial developmental stages.
How Gentle is Pediatric Chiropractic Care?
One of the biggest concerns parents have is whether chiropractic care is safe for infants. Rest assured, pediatric chiropractic adjustments are extremely gentle. In fact, the amount of pressure used during an adjustment on a baby is comparable to the pressure you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato. These gentle manipulations help realign the spine without causing any discomfort.
Unlike adult chiropractic adjustments, which may involve the familiar “popping” sounds of spinal realignment, adjustments for infants are often silent and performed with the utmost care. Many parents report that their babies remain calm, or even fall asleep, during the treatment.
This gentle approach ensures that your child receives the care they need without any fear or pain.
Pediatric Chiropractic Care in Chicago: Optimizing Your Child’s Nervous System from Day One
Clinical Summary: Did you know that 65% of all neurological development occurs in the first 12 months of life? Your infant’s central nervous system (CNS) is the master controller of this explosive growth. At Advanced Spine & Sports Care in Chicago, our specialized pediatric chiropractic protocol ensures your child’s spine and nervous system are functioning without interference. Gentle, precise pediatric adjustments are clinically proven to help naturally resolve colic, earaches, latching difficulties, acid reflux, and infant sleep disturbances.
How Does a Baby Develop a Spinal Misalignment?
A common question parents ask is: “How could a baby possibly need a chiropractic adjustment?” The reality is that the human spine undergoes immense physical stress long before a child takes their first steps.
1. The Trauma of the Birth Process For most individuals, their very first vertebral subluxation (spinal misalignment) occurs during birth. Even in a completely natural, intervention-free delivery, significant compressive forces are applied to an infant’s fragile cervical spine (neck).
If medical interventions such as forceps, vacuum extraction, or Cesarean sections are required, that tensile force increases dramatically. It takes very little pressure to misalign a newborn’s delicate vertebrae.
2. The Biomechanical Milestones Consider the micro-traumas a child sustains during their first year. From learning to hold their head up and sitting, to crawling across hard floors, pulling themselves up to stand, and taking those inevitable wobbly falls during their first steps. Each of these milestones introduces new biomechanical stress to a developing skeletal system.
The ASSC Pediatric Difference: Exceptionally Gentle, Perfectly Safe
Many parents associate chiropractic care with the deep pressure and “popping” sounds of adult adjustments, where we are treating decades of chronic muscle tension and scar tissue. Pediatric chiropractic care is entirely different.
Our primary goal is proactive, holistic prevention. Because a baby’s spine is incredibly pliable, clearing a pediatric subluxation requires no more pressure than you would use to test the ripeness of a piece of fruit at the grocery store.
-
No Popping or Cracking: For infants under six months, adjustments are silent, sustained, and gentle touches. As they grow into toddlers, our doctors prepare them for any minor joint releases by telling them to “Get ready to make some popcorn!”—turning the treatment into a fun, familiar experience.
-
The Safest Specialty in Healthcare: If you are wondering about objective safety, the data speaks for itself. Chiropractors maintain the lowest malpractice insurance rates in the entire medical industry—significantly lower than pediatricians and OB-GYNs. Insurers know that a holistic, drug-free, preventative approach to pediatric care is exceptionally safe.
The 5 Crucial Milestones for Pediatric Chiropractic Care
To ensure optimal neurological and musculoskeletal development, we recommend scheduling an evaluation for your child during these key developmental windows:
-
Immediately Following Birth: To evaluate and correct any cervical strain from the delivery process.
-
When They Begin to Sit Up: As the secondary curve of the lower back (lumbar spine) begins to form.
-
The Crawling Phase: To ensure proper cross-crawl biomechanics and pelvic alignment.
-
Pulling Up to Stand: As gravity begins to exert full force on their spinal column.
-
Taking First Steps: To support the pelvis and spine during frequent tumbles and falls.
Essentially, the times your child is falling the most are the times they need the most support from a Doctor of Chiropractic.
Set Your Child Up for a Lifetime of Health
ASSC Pediatric Chiropractic Care in Lakeview/Lincoln Park
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Ensure your child’s nervous system is clear, connected, and developing perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about gentle, safe, and effective pediatric chiropractic care for your child in Chicago.
As Dr. Schey says, "Even babies have spines!" The early stages of life are a time of rapid development.
The human spine undergoes immense physical stress long before a child takes their first steps. Significant compressive forces are applied to an infant’s fragile cervical spine (neck) during the birth process itself. As they grow, learning to sit, crawl, and walk introduces new biomechanical stress. Pediatric chiropractic treatment aims to support healthy spinal alignment, which promotes optimal nervous system function.
Absolutely. Pediatric chiropractic adjustments are extremely gentle and perfectly safe. Our primary goal is proactive, holistic prevention.
The amount of pressure used to clear a pediatric subluxation on a baby is comparable to the pressure you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato. Unlike adult adjustments, there is no deep pressure or "popping" sounds for infants under six months; adjustments are silent, sustained, and gentle touches. Many babies even fall asleep during treatment!
In fact, chiropractors maintain the lowest malpractice insurance rates in the medical industry, reflecting the objective safety of this drug-free approach.
Because 65% of neurological development occurs in the first 12 months, ensuring the central nervous system functions without interference is crucial. Gentle pediatric adjustments are clinically proven to help naturally resolve:
- Colic: Soothes digestive discomfort and reduces crying episodes.
- Ear Infections: Improves drainage to prevent recurring infections linked to spinal misalignments.
- Reflux: Assists with proper digestive function for babies suffering from gastroesophageal discomfort.
- Sleep Problems: Alleviates discomfort causing trouble falling or staying asleep.
- Difficulty Latching: Improves alignment to reduce discomfort during feeding for breastfeeding mothers.
To ensure optimal neurological and musculoskeletal development, Advanced Spine & Sports Care recommends scheduling an evaluation during these 5 Crucial Milestones:
- Immediately Following Birth: To evaluate and correct cervical strain from delivery.
- When They Begin to Sit Up: As the secondary curve of the lower back forms.
- The Crawling Phase: To ensure proper cross-crawl biomechanics and pelvic alignment.
- Pulling Up to Stand: As gravity begins to exert full force on the spinal column.
- Taking First Steps: To support the pelvis and spine during frequent wobbly tumbles.
Essentially, the times your child is falling the most are the times they need the most support!
Not at all! We go out of our way to make the experience fun and familiar for children.
While infants receive silent, sustained touches, as children grow into toddlers, our doctors prepare them for any minor joint releases by telling them to "Get ready to make some popcorn!" This playful approach ensures that your child receives the care they need without any fear or anxiety.