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Parents occasionally have concerns over the safety of adjustments for babies. Once you understand the following list, it will help alleviate any anxiety that parents have about safety.
1. If a baby is born it can get adjusted. If you compare the amount of force used during the birth process to that of the adjustment, everyone will see that they should not have any concern. The average birth process subjects a newborn's neck to an average of 40 pounds of traction or torsion. Compare that to a few ounces or a couple of pounds of carefully directed pressure in the right direction at the right time.
2. If a birth is more difficult such as a cesarean section, forceps or vacuum extraction, the force can reach upwards of 100 pounds of pull on the newborn’s neck. In these situations, it is even more important for the baby to be evaluated for a chiropractic adjustment and receive one if necessary. The amount of force used during an adjustment is a fraction of these procedures.
3. The gold standard to evaluate the safety of a procedure is to look at malpractice insurance rates. Chiropractors pay a fraction in premiums that medical doctors do because adjustments delivered by chiropractors are extremely safe.
4. One of the greatest examples to demonstrate the safety of adjustments is to look at the research in journals. We have never seen a study published anywhere depicting harm to a baby from a chiropractic adjustment during the 107 years of chiropractic care, yet thousands of children die every month from drugs, vaccines and surgeries.
5. Chiropractors that care for children have special training in their care and understand the considerations and needs that children have.
6. Babies are more flexible and pliable and can adapt the force of the adjustment much easier that an elderly person whose spine may be more rigid.
7. One good way to demonstrate to the parent the amount of force used with a pediatric adjustment is to let them feel it. Have your chiropractor show you (on the parent's shoulder) the amount of force that will be applied, and this will help the parent understand. Of course the amount of force used is determined by the technique that each chiropractor uses.
These examples will help make it easier for you to understand the safety of chiropractic care for children. Remember that it is essential for all newborns be evaluated for vertebral subluxation as close to the birth as possible to correct any nervous system interference as soon as it starts.