Some months ago I was asked to present a lecture at North Shore Private Hospital to the senior midwife educators. The purpose of this lecture was to discuss the relevance of chiropractic in the current environment. It was a great opportunity to spend time with midwives and discuss pregnancy, childbirth, baby carriers and deformational plagiocephaly.

Chiropractic for Children

Parents generally attend a chiropractor as they want healthier babies and happy families. Their need to attend may be more urgent if their baby is suffering from colic, excessive crying, poor feeding, reflux or plagiocephaly and need to establish a healthy pattern of feeding, growth and development.
Older children often attend with “growing pains”, nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting), history of chronic middle ear infections or a suspected scoliosis.
Parents and doctors are often concerned that chiropractors may harm their babies or we are treating conditions that may otherwise need medical intervention. It is important to understand that chiropractors are trained as primary health practitioners, and as such, recognise the need to refer. If treatment is administered, the forces used are generally no more than the pressure one could place on an eyeball.
Discussion was then made regarding plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) and the various types, with particular interest on deformational plagiocephaly. I discussed the relationship between the cranial dural system (brain coverings) and potential relationship with strain occurring in utero, at birth, or with back sleeping. The link between cognitive and motor delay and plagiocephaly was extensively discussed.
Much time was then spent discussing the various techniques that we utilise to correct deformational plagiocephaly and the intimate relationship with the brainstem structures and typical “unsettled baby” characteristics that these babies show.
Primitive reflexes are normal and are essential for survival. They include the fear paralysis reflex, moro reflex, sucking and rooting reflexes, asymmetrical tonic neck reflex, palmar and plantar grasp reflex, tonic labyrinthine reflex and spinal galant reflex. The transition from primitive to postural reflexes was explained, as was the relationship between them. Time was spent discussing how each is corrected in a newborn, toddler or adult and the typical presentation of unintegrated primitive reflexes.
Using the knowledge of primitive reflex pattern development and integration led to the discussion of avoidance of use of vertical pouches before 7 months, excessive use of car capsules, bouncinettes, and baby walkers.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy was discussed, including problems such as sciatica and indigestion, and how they relate to the pelvic structure and diaphragm.
Shirley Rd Chiropractic cares for many families, from newborn to the elderly, so for more information regarding the above, explore the “Family Care” section on our website.