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Chiro for Kids
Children grow and develop rapidly before our eyes. As your child learns new words and skills, their brain is rapidly making new connections and building new pathways. These pathways integrate different parts of their brain that allow for smooth movement, good sensory perception, social awareness and emotional regulation.
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Here are some fun and simples activities that you can do at home with your child to make a difference in your child’s growth and development.
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Calming, bonding and settling- Calm quiet time helps babies feel loved, safe and secure.
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Sleep- Kids need lots of quality sleep as they are busy growing. Ensure you have a good evening routine.
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Pressure massage- Touch helps kids feel calm and develop an understanding of their body. This builds the brain maps which are vital for sensory motor coordination.
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Extension exercises- Tummy time, ball rocking and superman fire important pathways for brain growth.
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Movement- Encourage your child to swing, hop, skip, jump, spin, run and climb as their brains need movement in gravity to grow.
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Play games- Imagination and movement go hand in hand – play with balls, blocks, jig saws, play dough, tools and tea sets.
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Sing, dance and clap- Timing and rhythm fire the cerebellum which is important in coordination, cognition and learning.
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Decrease screen time- Too much screen time adversely affects brain function. Head outside to move and play.
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Fresh food- Encourage your child to eat whole foods and organic when possible. Eat a wide variety of foods including fish, greens, nuts and seeds.
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Breathe- Deep, calm breathing is essential for healthy brains. Teach kids by breathing deeply with them and playing games like blowing balloons and bubbles.
Chiro for Babies
Baby’s brains develop rapidly… the care they receive plays a vital role
Babies are marvellous little things and are born with around 100 billion neurons that are social and love to talk to each other. These neurons develop networks of communication in a process called synaptogenesis. This process is how brains grow, develop and learn.
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A baby’s brain grows most rapidly in the first three years of life and a healthy nervous system function can support the achievement of developmental milestones. Many parents choose to bring their babies and children to a chiropractor for the assessment of their neuro-musculo skeletal system.
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Should I consult a Chiropractor for my baby? Things to look for:
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Feeding/latch issues
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Digestive disturbances
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Difficulties with turning their head evenly both sides or torticollis
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Stillness, back arching or increased tine
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Poor head control or low tone
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Unsettled in car seat or specific positions
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Plagiocephaly (misshaped skull)
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Concerns with settling or sleeping and/or colic
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Challenges with development or meeting milestones
Head Shape
Since the rise of parent’s putting their babies to sleep on their backs for safety, there has also been an increase of Deformational Plagiocephaly (flattening of the back of the head). While it is important to put your baby to sleep on their back, there are things that can be done to help prevent or correct the effects of this on their head shape.
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Plagiocephaly can also be caused from birth – birth places significant strain on a baby’s head and spine. It may develop a few weeks after birth and you may notice your baby favours a particular head position (side of the head) preference when sleeping. This normally stems from an underlying imbalance of the neck or cranial-dural system. Other causes include shortening of a muscle in the neck (torticollis) and low muscle tone (hypotonia).
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Research has shown an association between Plagiocephaly and delayed development. Together, Chiropractors and parents can work together to address the issue.
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Chiropractor
The chiropractor will assess your baby’s spine. And cranial-dural system for imbalances, postural asymmetry and restriction in head turning. The treatment consists of gentle postural and spinal alignments to improve movement and function.
Parents
At home, parents can assist their baby to engage in tummy time (ideally six short sessions and two longer ones per day) and by placing their baby on their tummy on top of an exercise ball and gently rocking their baby back and forth to provide stimulation to their vestibular system (in their ears)for around 1-2 minutes, twice a day.
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Chiro for Pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is important to take care of yourself - remain active, eat well, rest and look after your posture. Women often find they experience lower back pain during pregnancy and labour. Did you know that combining Chiropractic care with standard obstetric care has been shown through research to be more effective in relieving pain that obstetric care alone?¹
Women who received chiropractic care also reported experiencing less pain during labour.²
Chiropractic Care may help to:
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Reduce back pain and discomfort
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Improve nervous system function
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Decrease stress
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Enhance energy and wellness
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Promote deeper, more restful sleep
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Improve mobility and flexibility
A Chiropractor can assist your pregnancy by providing skilled assessments and they may recommend a course of care. By gently aligning the pelvis, spinal and cranial-dural system, Chiropractic adjustments support a well-balanced nervous system and the Chiropractor will also advise you of exercises and postures that will encourage optimum positioning of your baby.
1. George J.W A randomized control trial comparing multimodal intervention and standard obstetrics care for low back and pelvic pain in pregnancy. AMJ Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Apr; 208(4):295
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2. Diakow, P.R Back pain during pregnancy and labor JMPT. 1991 Feb;14(2):116-8.
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