Chiropractic care for kids

A spine that is still growing

From the first year through the teenage years, ordinary days put real load on a child's spine. This is a guide to what we see most often. A visit is how we tell what applies to your child.

The early years

Birth, whether vaginal or cesarean, puts force through a baby's spine. After that come awkward sleep, the first falls, and the twists that come with crawling and walking. A young child often cannot say where something hurts. The exam is how we look, instead of guessing from fussiness alone.

Desks, screens, and backpacks

School adds hours in a desk, a backpack that is often too heavy or worn on one shoulder, and screens that pull the head forward. Those are the same structural patterns we see in adults, showing up earlier. Posture is part of the exam, not a lecture.

Sports and hard landings

Contact sports, playground falls, and the jobs teenagers take on all add load. Kids bounce back fast, and a pattern can still settle in. We look at how the spine is lining up, not only at whether they are sore today.

When it needs a different doctor

Some findings are not a chiropractic problem. The exam is how we tell whether care here is the right next step, and when a child needs a different doctor.

An exam before any care

A first visit starts with an exam, so we can see what is going on before any care. We take objective measures of structure and function, and we use on-site X-rays only when they help us see that structure. Adjustments for a child are gentle. Call ahead and we will tell you what to expect for your child's age.

Peter Lenhart, Director of Rehab, helps patients improve structure and function with specialized exercises and angular tractions. More on the approach is on the CBP page. Neck pain is covered on the neck pain page.

Questions about chiropractic for kids