Signs that your baby needs a Chiropractor
We often get the question, Should my baby get adjusted and when?
We always recommend that you get your baby adjusted as soon as possible after birth. The birth process is a major physical stressor on a baby’s spine and nervous system. Even with a natural birth without interventions a baby can have misaligned and subluxated vertebra that can impact the nervous system function. Chiropractic care for babies and infants often helps with many common symptoms that arise such as fussiness, colic, constipation, ear aches, nursing difficulty, re-flux, spitting up and so much more.
However there are a couple signs that indicate that a baby definitely needs to be checked by a chiropractor and would benefit from care. There are 3 signs in total that we call “JET” syndrome. Some babies may present with just one sign while others may have all 3.
These signs indicate that the nervous system is being impacted and interfered with. This neurological component may seem isolated at first but as the baby goes through development it can impact other functions and neuro-developmental processes. Some babies may appear to grow out of these signs as they get older but we often find that the neurological/subluxation component is still present and in some instances is the root of other issues. In this situation there is a huge benefit for kids getting chiropractic adjustments and addressing the root issue to the issues they are experiencing.
The first sign in JET syndrome is J for jaw. We look for deviation in the jaw or an asymmetry. In some cases their bite is uneven or weak on one side when compared to the other.
The second sign is E for eyes. We are looking for one eyelid that doesn’t open as fully as the other or stays closed when the other eye is open. One eye may appear rounder or more narrow than the other.
The third sign is T for torticollis. Babies may present with a turned, tilted or twisted head and neck. Typically you will notice that your baby favors a specific head position, when laying on their back or sleeping they favor looking in one direction. They may favor nursing on one side or struggle to latch and nurse as long on one side as compared to the other. You may notice lots of muscle tension/rigidity in the head and neck region. Your child may have also received a torticollis diagnosis from their primary physician.
With nervous system focused chiropractic care we are able to examine and evaluate exactly what part of your baby’s nervous system is being affected and correct these issues through gentle and specific pediatric chiropractic adjustments.
If your child has any of these signs or is dealing with some issues or symptoms that you would like a solution to give us a call or schedule a complementary consultation online.
