Children and Chiropractic

One of the most incredible experiences I have had was the first time I saw a newborn get adjusted.  It was several years ago, here in Durango, and the infant was 3 days old.  She was not eating or eliminating anything and had a mucus-filled nose.  The new parents were beside themselves with angst.  I went with my partner, also a chiropractor, to see what was up.
The baby was having some difficulty breathing when we arrived.  Jay placed the infant on her mother’s belly and began to asses her little nervous system.  He determined that her atlas-the first vertebrae in her neck- was impinging the flow of information from the brain to the rest of her body.  In addition, her sacrum was slightly rotated…both likely due to her delivery into this world.  He lightly adjusted her pelvis and her cervical spine.  Much to her mother’s delight, she began taking milk immediately, her nose began to discharge a fair amount of mucus, and within two minutes her bowels moved.  
As a chiropractic student at the time I was stunned-and rewarded with the certainty of my calling.  Witnessing the transformation of this child, and the resulting change in the family, within minutes of the adjustment reiterated the power of the intelligence within each of our bodies to function optimally…when the obstacles that may inhibit that intelligence are removed.
About 30 years ago Jay’s sister Joan, who was three months old, received medication that put her into convulsions one half hour after being administered.
For three long years her mother and father sought medical help for her. Phenobarbital was used to manage these convulsions that could number up to 7 or 8 a day.  Joan was a “zombie” as her mother tells the story.
At the suggestion of a chiropractic student, Joan’s parents took her to a local chiropractor.  She received care for several weeks and the drugs were removed.  The convulsions had stopped!   You can imagine the relief of two parents who found a drugless resolution for their 3 year old girl.
The role of chiropractic care is not to treat convulsions, or any other symptom.  The role of chiropractic is, however, focused on restoring balance to the nervous system:  the brain, the spinal chord and all the related structures.  Many things can insult the nervous system, such as drugs, chemicals emotional upset, physical trauma and/or mental overwhelm.
The complexities of the nervous system are great. A simple analogy is to think of a picture window that has greasy hand prints all over it, impairing the view of the beautiful San Juan Mountains.  A clear nervous system can be likened to a clean window…the view is unimpaired and breathtaking, the way life was meant to be experienced.
Chiropractic’s intention is to keep your Nervous System clear.  In Joan’s case, there was an adverse reaction to the medication.  Tension was most likely brought to bear on the nervous system and a chiropractic adjustment relieved that tension.  We have no way of knowing what symptoms will be relieved as a result of the nervous system being brought to dynamic equilibrium or optimal function. What we can say with certainty is that we are better off clear and free in the spinal column and the nervous system. Many types of symptoms stop after beginning care in chiropractic.  Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a nervous system free from interference, especially children.