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Helping Kids become their “HEALTHY” Best by Dr.Valerie Fitzpatrick, B.Sc.(Hon.), D.C. |
“As parents, we want to ensure that our children have the opportunity to become their “healthy” best. Being “healthy” is more than just being free of symptoms.” Health is defined by Dorland’s Medical Dictionary as “a state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” To be healthy a child needs to be able to deal with, and respond appropriately to, life stresses. Basically, your child’s body needs to be able to adapt. Your child’s nervous system controls the process of adapting. The nervous system controls growth, repair, and function of every cell and organ in the body. Every child has physical and emotional stresses to deal with. One of the most physically stressful events a baby goes through is the birth process. Each new stage of development brings new stresses to the body: tipping over while learning to sit; falling down while learning to walk; learning to run, swim, or ride a bike. Emotional stresses may include family separation or divorce, or a change in school or home. If the child eats foods with additives or refined flour or sugar, or if they have been on medications there may also be chemical stresses. Chiropractic care works to optimize the functioning of your child’s nervous system by correcting imbalances, clearing tension and promoting the natural mechanisms of self-healing. Developmental milestones are key stages when a check-up will confirm that the spine is developing properly or provide an early warning of any potential problems. It is especially important to have your child’s spine checked after significant falls, vaccination, when sick, or when your infant shows a change in behaviour (fussiness, irritability). 1 Treating Colic, Asthma and Ear Infections There is evidence that spinal care in infants and children has many positive effects for a variety of conditions. As research unfolds, well-controlled studies are confirming these benefits. In 1999, a research report published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics concluded that “spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic.”2 The study compared the effect of chiropractic treatment with a commonly prescribed medication used to relieve infantile colic. Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1998, looked at chiropractic care as complementary therapy for children with medically-managed asthma.3 The study concluded that there was a trend toward improvement in the patients’ quality of life based on a reduction in the amount of medication taken, as well as diminished severity of asthma attacks. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that children with chronic earaches receiving amoxicillin (antibiotic treatment) experienced two to six times the rate of recurrence when compared with those taking placebo medication. 4 A study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics demonstrated that Otitis Media (middle ear infections) was resolved in an average of 4 to 5 visits.5 Recent Development in Chiropractic Care Network Care (or Network Spinal Analysis) is a non-manipulative form of Chiropractic that not only corrects existing problems, but promotes greater internal strategies for life and wholeness. Network Care empowers your body through very gentle contacts along the spine which change the vibrational tone of the nervous system and allow it to release stored tension. Unique to Network Care are two ‘healing waves’. First, is a Respiratory (or breathing) Wave which allows you to re-connect your mind and body, and release tension. Later in care, the Somatopsychic Wave develops, which consists of spontaneous rhythmic undulations of the spine, which have been found to be associated with characteristic changes in health and wellness measures including improved physical state, mental/emotional state, response to stress, life enjoyment and overall quality of life. Network Care is the only known approach specifically aimed at teaching the body how to develop its own healing strategies. Research has shown that Network Care is associated with profound and consistent improvements in overall health, well being and quality of life. 6 I love to care for children and their parents; I am grateful to serve as I see children unlock their full potential. Dr. Fitzpatrick graduated from the University of Toronto in 1990 ( B.Sc.(Hon.), Neurosciences), and from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1995 (D.C.). She is the founder of Network Chiropractic Care, a family-based chiropractic clinic in Thornhill. She can be reached at 905-889-4962 or dr.val@rogers.com. 1 Standards of Care for Pediatrics, McMullin M. ICA Pediatrics Diplomate Seminar Chicago Illinois, October 28-29, 1995. 2 The Short-Term Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial with a Blinded Observer, Wiberg JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Vol 22, No 8, October 1999. 3 A Comparison of Active and Simulated Chiropractic Manipulation as Adjunctive Treatment for Childhood Asthma, Balon J et al, the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 339, No 15, October 1998. 4 Journal of the American Medical Association, Cantekin EI, et al. 1991; 266(23): 3309-3317. 5 The Role of Chiropractic Adjustment in the Care and Treatment of 332 Children with Otitis Media, Fallon JM. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, 1997:2, 2: 167-183. 6 A Retrospective Assessment of Network Care Using a Survey of Self-Related Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life, Blanks RH, Schuster TL, Dobson M. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. 1997: 1 (4) p 15-31.
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