When it comes to babies, parents often wonder: “Why would I need to get my baby checked? They are so young and fragile. And moreover, if I do get my baby checked, what age is the best age to do so?”
A few months ago, I had a concerned set of parents bring their two-month-old baby Lucas in for a check-up. Having been referred in from their breastfeeding clinic, they told me that their son could not properly latch to his mother’s left breast. They also saw that he had a very noticeable head tilt to the left or what the medical system would diagnose as “Torticollis” (a stiff neck that makes it difficult and painful to turn your head to a certain direction).
Conventionally, Torticollis is seen as “tight muscles” that cause the head tilt and thus, the solution from a medical standpoint is to do Massage Therapy. However, it is very important to understand that muscles only become weak and tight when there is neurological dysfunction/nerve interference to those particular muscles. After going through Lucas’ health history, his mother said that he was induced and born via a “natural, vaginal birth” but that since he was born, he had a very noticeable head tilt and then a subsequent issue with latching. Upon examination, Lucas had subluxations/misalignments in his upper neck which was contributing to his head tilt.
The birth process itself is very traumatic in that 80-120 lbs of force is put through a baby’s spine – and that’s during what is defined as a “natural, vaginal birth”! Can you imagine how much more force is put into your baby’s spine when they are delivered via forceps, vacuum and Caesarean? Research indicates that babies born via Caesarean are even at a higher risk of childhood illnesses such as asthma, ear infections and allergies. This is one of the very reasons why it is so important to get your baby checked as soon as possible!
Within Lucas’ first few Chiropractic adjustments, his parents told me that he was able to latch better and that his head tilt was gone. He has now been under Chiropractic care for over three months, has excellent head control and is thriving with his overall development.
Getting your baby checked and adjusted is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for their health. And the best time for your baby to start getting adjusted is right when they are born. The most neurological development happens within their first year of life. From developing important reflexes, to crawling and eventually coordination to walk, supporting a health nervous system through regular Chiropractic care is what will allow them to flourish and thrive well into adolescence and into adulthood.
Your Etobicoke Chiropractor,
Dr. Clarise Chan