Thursday, February 6, 2014

Why I am a Pediatric Chiropractor

I know the thought of going to a Chiropractor can be very scary for some people, and bringing a child to one is almost unthinkable. Some of the bias that people may have, I believe, comes from a misunderstanding or a bad experience. I specialize in pediatric chiropractic and I assure you that chiropractic care is very different in our office for an infant than an adult.
I decided to specialize in the pediatric and prenatal field of chiropractic after I experienced first-hand what a nightmare colic can be with our first child. Let’s just say I am surprised I ever had any more children after her, as the sleepless nights went on for almost a year. I knew there was a lot more to her sleepless nights than an upset stomach but I was too scared to ask for help. My child was not supposed to have anything wrong with her. After all, I followed most of the “healthy” rules.
I was in my first year of chiropractic school when Sophia was born. Sophia was checked by a chiropractor after birth but I was told she was fine and there was no need to bring her back unless she had a fall. I didn’t know at that time that the prolonged fussiness might have been a sign to take my child back to the chiropractor to be checked. I did have a second child, Zachary, a couple years later. His birth was very difficult and he ended up with a broken collarbone. After I left the hospital, I took Zachary to the school clinic to be checked; but this time we saw the Pediatric Chiropractor in the main clinic. The evaluation was very thorough and she discussed I should watch for that could signal discomfort and advised us when to return. In the end, Zachary was a very easy baby that slept through the night who never left me sleep-deprived.
I know that all children have different personalities and, as a first-time mom, I really was clueless to what I was doing or the things I should watch for with Sophia. However, I also know that the information and support that Dr. Marriot provided the second time around was very valuable. I believe that if Sophia had received specialized pediatric care, her colic may have been reduced significantly. So much so that, after we moved to Colorado, I decided to travel the 12 hours (one way) once a month (often with Sophia and Zachary in tow) for 3 years, to attend weekend classes in Iowa for a chiropractic postgraduate pediatric program.
What I love the most about my job is the support and hope I can offer Moms – and, of course, the hugs I receive daily from the children! When I am checking a child, I look for misalignments in their spine that may be causing pressure on the nerves. This pressure can interrupt how the body is responding or functioning, resulting in health problems. It is really that simple. All I treat are the subluxations or misalignments in the spine, allowing the body to take care of everything else. With children, especially infants, I also evaluate the bones of the skull. The adjustments performed are very gentle.
If you have any questions about pediatric chiropractic you can visit our website at www.weldfamilyclinic.com and watch the video we have posted with a pediatric adjustment.

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