Tag Archives: Autism and Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic and Your Infant

How do infants benefit from chiropractic care? 

Chiropractic for infants? Do they have low back pain? Hardly-yet infants need chiropractic care to ensure that the stress of labor and delivery hasn’t damaged their spines and delicate structural systems. Other stresses they receive can involve falls-statistics tell us that nearly half of all babies have had a fall from a height (off the changing table, off the bed, etc.). Chiropractic care will help ensure a healthy baby with better resistance to disease and better ability to discharge toxins. Also, correcting subluxations may help a baby who is ill return to health more quickly and more comfortably. 

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There are many case histories of chiropractic helping children with all kinds of conditions-asthma, colic, difficulty breastfeeding, ear infections, autism spectrum disorder, vision and hearing disorders, constipation, neurological conditions-no matter what conditions babies may have, chiropractic care can help them grow into healthy, happy children. (1-4)

 

A note from Dr. C We can tell you many stories of how wonderfully children respond to care..ask us!  (some stories involve celebrating poopy diapers!)


  1. Cuhel JM, Powell M. Chiropractic management of an infant patient experiencing colic and difficulty breastfeeding: a case report. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. 1997;2(2):150-154.
  2. Harris SL, Wood KW. Resolution of infantile Erb’s palsy utilizing chiropractic treatment. JMPT. 1993;16:415-418. 
  3. Toto BJ. Chiropractic correction of congenital muscular torticollis. JMPT. 1993;16:556-559.
  4. Gutmann G. The atlas fixation syndrome in the baby and infant. Manuelle Medizin. 1987;25:5-10.

Whiplash and Chiropractic

You’re sitting in your car minding your own business, stopped at a light, and WHAM! some idiot slams into you from behind-you are rear-ended. Your head snaps or “whips” backward and forwards. You got a whiplash.

whiplash

Hopefully, you don’t have any broken bones or cuts, but something is still not right. Your head isn’t on straight, your body is misaligned, your nerves are “pinched,” your neck is not right, your muscles and joints are crying in pain. 

By the way, it doesn’t have to be a car accident-whiplash injuries can occur from sports collisions and other forms of trauma. Some really bad whiplash accidents are sideways-when a car passenger had turned to look at the driver so they received a sideways or lateral whiplash. 

Because all of our body parts are connected in many complicated ways, a whiplash injury may cause or intensify lower back pain, leg, hip, and pelvic pain.

To make things a little more interesting, whiplash symptoms may not occur immediately after the accident but may take a day or so to show up. When they show up, you’ll know it. 

Symptoms of whiplash commonly include:

  • neck pain
  • headaches
  • muscle pain
  • stiffness
  • loss of range of motion
  • fatigue
  • blurred vision 

If the nerves in your lower neck are “pinched” you may have numbness and tingling in your shoulders, wrists, arms, and hands. Whiplash is not fun.

What to do?

Chiropractic has been a blessing to whiplash sufferers for over 125 years. Many whiplash sufferers have turned to chiropractic after having exhausted muscle relaxers, painkillers, and injections and are looking for an alternative to surgery.

Chiropractors locate subluxations that cause stress, interference, nerve pressure, and other problems in your spine and body structure. Doctors of Chiropractic are able to realign spinal vertebrae that have been “locked or jammed” as a result of trauma using the art and science of chiropractic adjustments. 

Anyone who has experienced a whiplash, or any kind of injury, needs the safe, yet powerful, chiropractic approach.

Call us to make an appointment today! (517) 627-4547

A NOTE FROM DR. RAY AND DR. C—–just because there is no “blood and guts” associated with an accident— the mere trauma to the body CAN and DOES lead to an effect on the body. When a body is exposed to forces greater than the body can handle, something has to give and, most of the time, the underlying structure of the body (spine) takes the brunt of the force. Falls down steps, off a curb, off your bike, walked into a door you didn’t see?   These are just some of the things that can “knock your body out of whack” and lead to issues late on in life.

What is a subluxation and why are they so dangerous?

A subluxation is a distortion in your spinal column and body structure that affects your brain, spinal cord and nervous system. ChiropractorsHow many joints are in your spine? spend years learning how to locate and adjust subluxations using various physical testing devices, body biofeedback and other instruments as well as X-rays and imaging devices. Why are subluxations so bad?

Disconnection

The subluxation is a “communication disorder” wherein your parts have become disconnected; your parts, muscles, disks, ligaments and organs aren’t working together as efficiently as they could be working; there may be too much or too little cerebral spinal fluid, lymphatic fluid and/or blood flow to vital body organs.

When you are disconnected your resistance to disease lowers, your ability to detoxify from life’s stresses drops and you are less alive. The term used to describe this is dis-ease.

The goal of the chiropractor 

The goal of the chiropractor is to locate and remove subluxations so you may be better connected to yourself. 

What is the best age for chiropractic care?

Everyone needs to be checked for subluxations and to have them adjusted by a chiropractor.

Whether you are sick or apparently healthy, subluxations are interfering with your health. There is no age limit for a person to get chiropractic care: 1 day old or 120 years old.

Everyone needs chiropractic checkups: pregnant women, professional athletes, kids-it is essential for everyone to be subluxation-free. That could make the difference between having energy or being exhausted all the time, between living a life of health or a life of sickness, between healing or deteriorating.

Schedule your check up today!  517.627.4547

The Latest From Dr. Charmaine and Dr. Ray: January 2020

Greetings all,photo3
I am sure that many of us are scratching our heads at this winter….but it is happening in its own way and at its own time. We can make some changes in our lives to accommodate the change to the new year and to the weather.

Get plenty of rest. Winter is hibernation time for our four footed friends and we would do well to remember that.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. We all have our heaters and wood fires going to keep us warm but that draws a lot of moisture out of the body…so drink LOTS of H2O.

Watch your posture. I notice that so many people walk with their shoulders hunched up around their ears this time of the year…NO TURTLING PLEASE…. it messes up the neck and shoulder areas…get a scarf/two and wrap it around the neck and chest area and walk tall!!!!!

EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE. It is terribly important that we keep moving thru’ the winter months…If you are not an outside weather fan, find some way to incorporate exercise. Look at no commitment gyms and get in there and do something. Go to open swim, go to the mall or GLHS and walk. Keep your circulation working and the winter weight gain down.

WATCH THE WINTER DIET. We tend to eat too much “comfort food” in winter and a) gain weight and b) are subject to more colds and flu. The body needs to be more alkali and so more fruits, veggies and less stodgy comfort food is better. Keep the dairy and meats to flavoring status and eat 5-9 servings of veggies/fruit daily. Clementines are a great handful, quick to unwrap and loaded with Vit C.

OK…. SO STAY WARM, KEEP ACTIVE AND ALL THE OTHERS THINGS I SAID AND GET A CHIROPRACTIC CHECKUP TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE FUNCTIONING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

Remember your body does not have a check engine light!!

 

The Negative Health Effects of Heavy Backpacks, And How Your Kids Can Avoid Them

This article originally appeared on The Active Times by Katie Rosenbrock.backbacks

Back to school means back to the books, which is great for kids’ brains, but not so much for their backs.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a child’s backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of their weight, but often this limit is exceeded, and it could certainly lead to strain and even injury.

There are several research studies showing the long-term effects of carrying a heavy backpack.

Wearing a heavy backpack for prolonged periods may cause excessive strain in one’s neck, back and shoulders. Over time, muscles may fatigue, and the wearer may fall into poor posture, which may lead to muscle imbalances, which, if long-term, may cause increased risk of injury.

Additionally, children who wear heavy backpacks have a tendency to lean forward to support the weight, which further implicates their posture. Plus, for small children, heavy backpacks increase their risk of falling.

Clearly there are a handful of risks involved with bearing the brunt of a backpack that’s just too heavy for a kid to handle, yet a 2002 study out of Texas found that most parents (about 96 percent) don’t inspect the weight of their kid’s backpacks.

Determining an Appropriate Backpack Weight and Avoiding Back Painbackbacks

The AAP recommends a child’s backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight, but according to The New York Times, a recent survey from Consumer Reports suggests aiming for the lower, 10-percent end of that spectrum. Quinn agrees.

Also worth noting, that same report found girls and shorter children may be most at risk for back pain resulting from heavy backpacks, so for smaller-statured kids, it’s especially important to find a backpack that fits well.

It’s important to make sure the straps are wide, padded and adjustable, so the backpack fits the child well

The backpack should be close to the body and should not hang too far below the waist. The best advice for older kids is to wear the straps on both shoulders and evenly distribute the items in the backpack.”

The risk for injury increases, Quinn explains, when the backpack is worn over one shoulder or when most of the items are packed to one side, which often causes the carrier to shift or bend to the side to bear the weight.

She emphasized the importance of carrying the backpack with both straps to distribute the weight evenly over both shoulders.

Removing unnecessary items from the backpack daily is also key..

Relieving Neck and Shoulder Strainbackpacks

Prevention is of utmost importance, but for kids who are already experiencing strain in their necks, shoulders and backs due to a heavy backpack, Quinn offers a few restorative stretches and exercises that may help.

“Heavy backpacks may cause the wearer to bend forward, causing increased strain on the lower back,” she explains. “It may cause a forward head and rounded shoulder posture, which may result in tight pectoralis muscles and excessive strain on the cervical spine (neck). Pec and upper-trap stretches may improve the flexibility of these muscles and prevent long-term postural deficits.”

As chiropractors we cannot stress how important it is that back packs are worn correctly, as well as carried correctly.   We can always check that your child pack is correct for them if you bring them into the office.  Let’s catch problems before they develop.  Dr C

Autism and Chiropractic Care

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care?  Probably most of them.

Autism and Chiropractic Care

A 10-year-old girl diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  and complained of:

  • neck pain
  • low back pain
  • insomnia

Autism and Chiropractic Care

In addition, she exhibited head banging and other uncontrolled behavior.

A total of 12 chiropractic adjustments were delivered to her occiput, C1, C2, sacrum, and coccyx over an eight-week period. When she first came to the clinic she held herself in a protective position: taut and rigid. However, after an adjustment she became much more relaxed, her outbursts ceased, she was calmer and her sleep improved.

Do you know anyone with the above symptoms? Please share this article with them. We’d love to help!

517.627.4547

Reference: Pappicco M. Improved health outcomes & quality of life in a 10-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder following chiropractic care to reduce vertebral subluxation: a case study & selective review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic~ March 22, 2018:7-12.